Spring and Summer Only
by Kaybee80
Summary: A look at Samcedes, and how they spent the summer of 2012. Refers often to their first lost summer. Eventually explains why NO ONE has mentioned my favorite couple yet this season.
1. May 25, 2012 Pt 1

**A/N: The first 5 chapters of this story take place May 25, 2012, just after Mercedes Jones' graduation. Sam and Mercedes are excited about the upcoming summer and making plans to spend it together. Sam's parents, along with Mercedes' parents decide to have a frank discussion with their kids about the direction of their relationship, and the plans they are making. **

**This story will be told mostly told from Mercedes' and Sam's points of view using both first person narration and dialogue. The first two and last two chapters will include portions told from the perspective of the parents. Flashbacks like chapter 3 will occur often, and refer to Summer 2011. They will all we be written as narration, from an omniscient point of view (unless stated specifically).  
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**I really would love to thank my beta reader, Ree. She really helped me write sentences that English-speaking readers could comprehend. Thank you, so much...You Rock!  
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******Disclaimer: I do not now, nor do I ever claim ownership of Glee, its characters, or the way those characters are mistreated on television. I would never admit to being responsible for the hot mess my favorite show has become.**_**  
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_**Mercedes POV:**_

Okay, so my parents have been gone since before 6 o'clock this morning. They woke me up, mentioned they had some friends from out of town flying in, and said they would be back after catching up over an early trip to IHOP. Then they suggested I call Sam and invite him over for breakfast, telling me they should be back by 9 am. I, Mercedes Jones, am not normally an early-rise, hop out of bed and get moving on Saturday morning type of diva; especially when I just graduated from high school two days ago, and would have sold my weave to sleep in. But any time spent in an empty house with Sam Evans is time worth waking up for. So I dragged my ass out of bed, called my boo, and went to work getting cute. By the time Sam arrived it was around 6:45. I had already taken the breakfast casserole from the oven, and was popping slices of bread into the toaster. I kissed his sweet face, and watched him go wash up so we could eat.

Over breakfast, Sam and I discussed our summer plans. Everyone we love knows how drama filled our relationship has been. We're the kind of couple that takes forever to get their act together, and just when things get comfortable... something happens to mess us up again. Last year Sam and I fought all summer long to spend time together. He was working 40-plus hours a week delivering pizzas to help his family, and was pretty much responsible for raising his younger siblings whenever he wasn't working. I helped out most days at my father's dental practice, and babysat for the Evans twins whenever Sam wasn't available. If you factor in the knowledge that our relationship was a secret, his family was living well below the poverty line, and we had very little privacy at all... it's a wonder we ever became a couple! Even worse was the fact that by August, Sam's family had moved to Lexington, Kentucky. When our relationship ended, we broke up over over the internet! This past year, we struggled to get back together just in time for me to leave the state! If it wasn't so frustrating, the situation would probably be funny.

It's pretty shitty that I have to leave September 4, the day before my 18thbirthday, to meet my new boss and sign the lease on my new apartment in LA. While it really sucks that Sam and I are gonna have to battle distance again soon, we're both pretty determined to make the most of the time we have left. Sam and I both plan to get as much couple time in as humanly possible over the next three months, with a few exceptions here and there. For instance, he's planning a visit to Lexington for a week to spend some time with his family. If we're lucky, it'll be the same week my family goes to Las Vegas on vacation. Sam is also pretty sure he will need to pick up a summer job so his parents don't have to send him money to live on here in Lima. But we both want to spend every other waking hour with each other to make up for the three months we'll have to spend apart before Thanksgiving.

Sam loves outdoorsy stuff, so he's actually planning on taking me hiking, camping, fishing, and swimming; he's even talking about helping my mama with her garden! As a rule, divas don't generally spend too much time doing things that will fuck up a manicure or a weave, but I trust Sam to keep me safe from any wild animals and help me avoid major injury… And I can always get micro-braids, or wear my natural hair afro-style this summer if it means I can join the fun. He also wants us to go see his family once or twice together, because I really do love them like my own. I miss them almost as much as he does.

Anyway, he's not off the hook, either.. I already told him he would be coming with me to the Jones/Harris Family Reunion this July. This year it was going to be held in Orlando, Florida, and will last for 4 days. I know Sam's gonna get a kick out of the basketball tournaments, touch football games, and relay races; but I'm also pretty sure he's gonna get sick of hearing "Who's the White Boy?" My family isn't racist, but there's no way any one of my relatives will want to try and think of another way to describe him; and lets face it, he **is **white…I'm also planning to do a fair amount of shopping this summer, like totally reinventing my look, so I expect him to accompany me on my mall trips whenever Kurt isn't available. I also hope we can spend some time working on our projects; maybe it's a little too much like school, but I love his artwork and the original music he composes. I'm taking a lyric writing seminar this fall and have to have some new material completed before it starts. The way I see it, if we work on our projects together, we might be able to sneak in a little smoochy time.

Sam and I both also want to revisit our old haunts from last year; the lake, the park, and the picnic site we found not far from his old motel where we could see every star in the sky. We both want to hang out with our Glee friends, too; partying as much as possible without all the secrecy this time. We also decided to try and get him a few gigs working weddings and bat-mitzvahs like he did 2 years ago. I would do the booking, organizing, and advertising; who knows? He might make enough to avoid delivering pizzas or cleaning pools all summer.

While I cleaned up the kitchen, Sam went to pick out a movie for us to **not **watch, and when I entered the den he had _Obsessed _playing. Ever since I told him I was gonna beat down the next Cheery-Ho who hit on him in my face like Beyonce did Ali Larter, the boy couldn't get enough of the fight scene in the movie. I side-eyed him but sat down with my legs sprawled across his on the couch. By the time Ali and Idris stood together in the elevator making small talk, the movie was pretty much watching us. I was straddling him with my hands tangled in his hair, he had his hands on my ass (such a booty man), and we were about to get into a pretty serious bout of tongue wrestling. Right when Sammy shifted to kissing my neck, we heard the doorbell ring. Wondering who would be making visits at 8:30 am on a Saturday morning, I got off of his lap and headed to the door while he stayed put and started reapplying chap-stick.

I opened the door and there stood my parents, and Sam's parents…smiling like someone was tickling them.

"Hershey Mercy!" Sam's dad Dwight yelled loud enough to wake up the whole neighborhood. He calls me that because he says that when Sam sees me, his eyes get all big and bright. According to Dwight,it reminds him of when Sam was a little boy searching for Hershey's kisses in his mama's purse. Now that I think about it, his nickname for me is a perfect way to describe Dwight; that man loves to flatter me while embarrassing Sam at the same time.

"Hey, Mr. Evans, what are you DOING here?" I exclaimed, giving him a kiss and laughing out loud when he picked me up and twirled me around.

"My name is Dwight, Hershey" he got right in my face and said "and you better remember it or else."

"Dad?"I heard a shocked Sam yell from the den, "what are you doing here, squeezing Mercy…Mom?"He ran over to give her a big hug. "Ya'll went to get my parents?" he asked my mom and dad over his mom's shoulder.

"Well, son if you and your daddy would let us out of the doorway, we would all come in and tell you what we're doing here,"Mrs. Evans laughed. "Look at the two of you!" She says as walked in, and looked Sam up and down "I can't say you ain't eating well, you look like you gained back every ounce you lost in Lexington."She turned to me "And Miss Mercy, I've been missing your smile for a year!"

"Thank you Mrs. Mary," I said, completely shocked. "I missed you too… so much!" I gave her a big hug and she kissed me on the forehead. We rocked back and forth for about a minute before separating. "And the reason Sam looks so well fed is because all our Glee friends fight over who can invite him over for dinner," I joked, going over to him and linking my fingers with his "and Sammy here is too polite to tell anyone 'no,' so some days he eats twice!"

My parents have been standing by the staircase watching this the whole time and my daddy finally spoke up, saying "Plus, Mercy has been baking him muffins and cupcakes every week since he joined that swim team…"

_My daddy knows how much I like baking for Sam._

"...and to answer your question, Sam; yes, we picked them up from the airport this morning."

My mama looked at Sam and I holding hands, then peered over at Dwight. She turned her head to make eye contact with Mrs. Mary, who nodded her head, and my mama nodded back. After this suspicious nonverbal exchange, Mama placed her hand on my daddy's shoulder and stated, "We all wanted to have a chat with the two of you," she said "about your relationship and your plans for this summer."

Then my daddy looked at us and said "Please come with us into the dining room."

My mother grabbed Sam's hand as we walked into the dining room, and she and my dad led Sam to the head of the table and gestured for him to sit there. Sam's mom grabbed my right hand and led me to the foot of the table so that we faced each other from opposite ends. Mama then sat on one side of Sam while Daddy sat on his other side. Sam's parents sat on either side of me.

_What the actual hell is this? An intervention?_

Mrs. Mary gestured at Dwight to get on with it and asked "You ready to start, honey?"

_I mean, it must be some kind of intervention, because the adults obviously decided beforehand what order they were gonna lecture us in_…

"I guess we should just jump right on in to what we came here to talk about, and we all decided that I should go first." he started "Bent, Dani, Mary and I got to be real good friends last summer while you all were getting close, and we all got into the habit of talking just about every day."

_Sam and I know his already._

"What ya'll didn't know is that we kept close even after we Evanses moved to Kentucky…"

_What?_

"…First thing we want ya'll two to know is how happy we are to see you two back together. Last summer SamCedes.."

_Oh shit, who in the hell told them our nickname?_

"..didn't get much time together but you sure made the most of it, from what we could tell. Sam, you were smiling' like a loony bird even in your sleep; getting off work all tired and smelly but beggin' me to extend curfew so you could go over and see Mercy or take her on a moonlit picnic. And that was just on the days she wasn't already at the motel when you got off…"

_My baby is so cute…_

"…Hershey, you were pickin up the twins from church camp almost every afternoon, takin' them to the park and the lake, feedin' 'em lunch and fixin' dinner for them. I know you love the twins, but don't think we didn't notice how happy you were to get your hands on Sammy when he got off work…"

_…That Dwight is hella smart; he saw right through my ass last year! Oh well, it was all for a good cause… I mean, he was my **secret boyfriend**! We had to operate under the cover of darkness (and I really need to stop thinking like a comic book super villain)…_

"…I'm not gonna lie, ya'll scared us gettin so close, so fast," Dwight continued "Both of ya'll have parents who married their high school sweethearts. We recognize that 'forever face' on you two…" he gestured between us with his fingers, "…and we just want you to know how we feel about you bein' so tight at such a young age…"

_…Look at Sammy, getting all bowed up, ready to jump in and defend us…I guess he's feeling like it's us against the world.._

"…Don't interrupt, son, we know ya'll were just having fun but we're here to tell you that this summer ain't gonna be like last year at all…"Dwight tells him.

…_OH, HELL-TO-THE-NAW! What the actual fuck does that mean? They aren't gonna let us spend this time together? I can see Sam is scared, too…Are they gonna make Sam go to Kentucky? We have PLANS! I'm LEAVING soon! Don't they remember how hard it was the last time we were forced apart?_

"…and; son, Hershey, I know I can speak for all the parents when I say it hurt us to the bone to see the two of you separated this past year, because neither one of you were happy at all without the other..."

_ You can say that again, Dwight._

"…that's why, Sam, when you wanted to come back to Lima; we went ahead and let you come. I mean, I don't know just **who **you thought you were foolin with that 'comin back to Lima for Glee club' nonsense…First of all, you spent most of last year tellin us how sick you were of Rachel and Finn…"

_…That's my baby…_

"…You told us you took an open-eyed nap every time they sung a duet together, and that you had to remind yourself to clap for 'em whenever they finished singing…"

_…Damn, it's funny as hell when Sam says that shit.._

"…You said Mr. Shuester must have been halfway to deaf, for lettin' Finn sing lead over Artie or Puck, and that Rachel could manage to screech like an owl on the final notes of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…."

_…see what I mean, funny as hell!…_

"…You even made up a song called 'Why You Gotta Cry Every Time You Sing' and stood in the mirror practicing your Finn-face every time you sang it," Dwight started chuckling. "Ain't no way on heaven or earth you would put yourself through the torture of sittin' in the cab of a truck for four hours with Finchel…"

_…now I know who told them our nickname…_

"…unless you had something to look forward to once you got where you were goin. You hauled your keister all the way up the highway and left your family's home for Mercedes Jones and Mercedes Jones alone…"

…Now Sam is scared to death, because he knows I told my parents he came back for New Directions. I can see the wheels turning in his head, looking at my daddy and getting ready for some major league cock-blocking to start; but I'm not worried… I mean, he got back to town in December and we didn't even date until May…

"…and from what you two told me, ya'll had to spend most of this year apart, too; you only got it together in time for Prom…"

_Now Dwight looks kind of sad._

…and Hershey's leaving for California in September. So really, the most time you two have to be a real couple is three months," Dwight finishes. "Actually, less than three months if Sam comes back to Kentucky to spend some time with us…"

_Oh Hell!_

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_**Benton POV:**_

I'm in my dining room, sitting across from my wife, while Sam sits to my right and Danica's left. When Dwight starts talking about how this summer and last summer were gonna be different, I see Sam and Mercy shooting each other worried looks from across the table. I chuckle to myself because I can see the fear in their eyes as they try to figure out where Dwight's speech is going. Mercy has her hands on the table, picking at her nail polish, she's biting her lip, and I can see the hell-to-the-no look she gets in her eyes when she feels an argument coming on. Sam's ears are turning red, and when his dad starts talking about Sam's reasons for coming back to Lima, he shoots me guilty looks. I can tell he's sure I ain't gonna let him near Mercy alone again until she's 20. It's kind of fun messing with them; I'm sure these two have been making big summer plans and now they think we parents brought them together today to try to mess those plans up, but on everything, they got it all wrong… SamCedes, you don't know it yet, but we old folks are about to make your day!

~Flashback~

_Dr. Benton Jones, DDS has a huge secret… he's tried his best to hide it from the world, but everyone who had ever met him knows that Mercedes Jones has had her dad wrapped around her short, brown fingers since the day she was born. Benton, like most fathers, loves his grown sons in the same way he loves Dwight Evans, or any of his frat brothers. Towards them, he feels kinship and camaraderie: a type of cave-man bro-love built on shared experiences and common interests. The all-consuming, protective love Dr. Jones has for his Baby-Girl, though, is a different animal altogether. Benton has __**always **__had an indescribable need to make Mercedes happy; quite simply, he would do anything for her. For instance, when Mercy was 7 years old, she demanded that her father take the training wheels off her Christmas bike. That day, Bent spent the most of the afternoon running himself ragged while holding onto the back of her bike so she wouldn't fall off. Another example would be the time, ten years later, when Mercedes cried because she lost the role of Maria in a school production of West Side Story. Bent took the next day entirely off work, and spent it with his daughter in their pajamas-watching musicals and singing all of the songs together. Benton always knows what will cheer his little girl up and he takes the job very seriously._

_Bent is proud of his kids … He and Danica raised Mercedes and her brothers Marcus and Matthew to the best of their abilities, trying to teach them right from wrong while providing a loving and happy home. Danica and Bent didn't want to raise spoiled kids, but wanted them to grow up grateful for everything they had, so the elder Jones' tried hard to strike a delicate balance: they made sure to reward the kids for good behavior, while also instilling discipline. As a result, the Jones children were active in church, made good grades, and respected their parents; they were kind, generous and loving. Bent and Danica were proud, but they had no clue how good a job they had done on their daughter though, until last year when they watched Mercy's relationship with Sam unfold._

_Last May, Benton had listened as Mercy explained to the elder Jones couple about their "Prom on a Budget," and how she and Rachel were making their own corsages because the boy taking them couldn't afford to buy any. He had watched as Mercedes took the trouble to find a perfect pale pink rosebud the color of Rachel's dress, and tied it with a ribbon the same color as her own dress to make a boutonniere for Sam. Benton had taken pictures of the two teens smiling and posing, then listened in shock as his daughter explained that they were walking to Breadstix. Bent knew his daughter hated getting sweaty, he wondered why she would agree to something so out of character as walking half a mile in a dress and heels to meet the other half of their group date. When Sam walked her to the door after prom, Benton watched from the open window of his study and chuckled at his daughter's antics; his little girl had one hand on her hip, and was pointing a finger of her other hand in Sam's face. Bent gasped for breath, laughing when he realized Mercy had just DEMANDED that the tall teen call her if he needed help with school or babysitting his younger siblings. After Mercedes went in the house Benton kept watching, and saw the laughing blond boy lean against the side of the house and wipe tears of mirth from his eyes, obviously tickled pink at Mercy and her diva-esque ways._

_Benton had also observed as Mercedes took it upon herself to make life in the Evans motel room happier. She brought baked goods over every Saturday morning so she could take Stevie and Stacie on a "muffin-hike" through the park. The teenager and the twins would munch on goodies and talk while letting the crumbs fall to the ground for the birds and squirrels to eat. She also picked the twins up every Sunday afternoon and brought them to the Jones home so they could each pick and watch one movie from her extensive Disney collection. Mercedes loved the kids, wanting to help them get out of the motel. She also was aware that the weekly mini-marathons allowed Dwight and Mary time to rest up for a long week of job-hunting. Eventually, Sam became a regular on these field trips, as well, and Benton had watched as Mercedes added Indiana Jones: TOD and Return of the Sith to the movie rotation. She even organized "Lady Days," where she, Danica, Kurt, Santana, Tina, Quinn and Brittney got rid of the male Evanses and brought every beauty supply known to man over to the motel so they could pamper Mary and Stacie._

_There was no denying how generous that daughter of his was, so all four parents were determined that she get her reward this summer._

~End Flashback~

…when Dwight starts talking about the kids' relationship and how we all saw it unfold, I had to ask myself what my hopes are for these two. I met my wife in high school and we've been together ever since, so I know you can love your first love forever. I ain't even gonna lie, though, and say I hope that the kids fall in line and do the same thing we did. Don't get it twisted, I love Sam, and want him for my son-in-law one day; but these two have a chance to be kids for the first time in a long while and I want them to jump on it. Baby Girl has a lot of talent, and now is the best time for her to develop it and use it. I'm worried that if Sam and Mercy get it in their fool heads to get married next year or something, they'll be on the baby-and-family train with a quickness, and I wanna see Mercy get her Grammy! I want them to go to college, have fun, go to parties, make non-couple friends, and learn how to be grown WITHOUT all that responsibility.

Danica and I were apart for almost 4 years while I was in the Army, stationed in Georgia, while she was still in high school. I remember missing her every day, dreaming of her every night, getting letters from her every week, and seeing her on every leave. That was the hardest damn thing I ever had to live through, but I remember when I was discharged; the only thing I could think of was picking up my lady and driving as fast as I could to the courthouse because I knew she was it for me for the rest of my life…. That kind of certainty held me down during those times when arguments got bad and life got hard, because I knew how bad life was without her.

Sam's folks, Danica, and I all agree that we see the "future" face creeping on the kids, and I'm hoping a lot of that has to do with them being so grown-up last year. I mean, who wouldn't start to think and feel like an adult when you basically act like an old married couple already? I think that a summer of acting like kids and having fun might be just the thing to make them see how big a mistake growing up so fast can be…Uh-Oh Dwight just got through scaring the kids up, now it's my turn to give them the good news!


	2. May 25, 2012 Pt 2

**A/N: Chapter two begins with Sam's take on the events of the morning of May 25, 2012. We also get to delve a little more into the mind of Daddy Evans. **

**I want to thank all of the readers who added my story to your favorites and followed me and/or the story. This is my first attempt at fan fiction, and you guys really made my day. I also appreciate every one who left a review. I hope I can live up to your expectations. Thanks again!**

**Many thanks to my beta reader, Renee…I appreciate your help more than words can say!**

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever claim ownership of Glee, its characters, or the manner in which those characters are mistreated on television. I would never admit to being responsible for the hot mess my favorite show has become.**

**Please excuse any errors I may have missed!  
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_**Sam POV: **_

I woke up this morning to the best sound in the world… Mercedes Jones' ringtone. I was in my basement room at the Hummel-Hudson home, dead to the world, when the love of my life called me and invited me over for a breakfast date. I love any time spent hanging out with my Mercy, but this was pretty much my idea of the perfect start to a great day. I hadn't started my summer job hunt yet, so I was free all day… If I could spend that day hanging out in the Jones home with my baby, so much the better. I got ready, hot-footed it across town, and arrived in time to enjoy her home cooking.

While Mercy-Mine went to wash the dishes and put up the leftovers, I found her copy of _Obsessed_, and thought about the summer plans we had discussed over breakfast. I was really excited about finally getting to spend the whole three months showing Mercy how much I love her without hiding, but I was also worried. What if my parents miss me too much to let me stay in Lima with the Hummel-Hudson family? Finn is leaving in July, and Kurt won't be here any longer than it takes him to decide his next move. Their parents already told me I'm welcome to stay as long as my folks are okay with it. I know my parents are all about letting me be a man, since I helped support the family last year; but they still might decide to baby me at the last minute.

My family's financial situation has really improved a lot this past year. My mom got a job in a cable company call center, not long after we moved to Kentucky. She was one of those people who help you out when you need to pay your bill over the phone, or you can't get some of your channels to work. She actually loved doing it, and she got a lot of compliments from customers who were basically just happy that she spoke English. About 6 weeks ago, she got promoted to Operations Supervisor, a salaried position. She doesn't have to take any calls, and basically spends her days monitoring her team. She even gets off work early enough to pick the twins up from school. The money isn't bad either.

Dad started working with a construction crew back in August, and he's done so well that he got promoted to foreman on a project that's gonna take about 3 years to complete. He's so happy to finally be able to count on something good, his pre-dinner blessings take about 15 minutes to finish. Mom is happy too, because now we can start saving up for a down payment on another house. Dad was so excited about the steady work and increase in salary he declared himself my 2012 "Prom Sponsor" last month.

Dad called me up the day he got his signing bonus and reminded me about how I took Rachel and Mercy on a Budget Junior Prom date; he also declared that under no circumstances would I do the same for Cedes' Senior Prom. He told me I was going to rent a tux and a limo, then he insisted that I buy Mercy an orchid, take her to an actual restaurant (that wasn't named Breadstixx), and buy my girl a nice gift to celebrate the anniversary of our first date. Then he transferred $1000 into my checking account so I could pay for all of it.

I _mostly_ followed his instructions: I did rent the tux, and I bought her a white gold chain with small CZ letters spelling "LOR" (Beautiful in Na'vi) hanging from it. I bought her an orchid corsage, and two dozen red roses to keep in a vase in her room. Before prom, I took her to a fancy Italian place owned by my old boss at the pizzeria. But Mercy and I both agreed not to splurge on the limo. I didn't want to; because I can remember going to bed hungry, I know how it feels to have your cell service disconnected for nonpayment, and I spent a whole year without an MP3 player because I pawned mine for gas money. Getting to the prom all fancy is probably pretty cool for a night, but keeping the money in the bank for hard times feels way better.

Mercy didn't want to get the limo either; my lady said she had no desire to ride around Lima after prom, showing off. Instead, she wanted to get a hotel room and "reacquaint ourselves" with each other. She paid for the room as an anniversary gift to me… God I love that woman!

I figure Mercy and I are overdue for a Skype session with my parents, so we can beg them to let me stay here this summer. They love her, especially my Dad. He says she reminds him of some of his favorite cousins…friendly, loud, compassionate, caring, and demanding as all outdoors. According to my dad, Mercy-Mine is the closest thing to a Southern woman he's seen since we moved to Lima. I can't see them telling her no, when all she wants is to spend the summer with me. I guess we'll figure it out later, cause the movie is starting now.

Mercy-Mine and I are just about to move past the 'grabby-hands' portion of making out and enter the 'okay, you know I love it when you do that, lets go upstairs to my room so I can show you how much" part, when the doorbell rang, and Mercy goes to answer the door.

I pretty much hold my tongue while we exchange greetings and let the parents lead us to the dining room. When my dad starts to talk I try to listen while keepin' an eye on Mercy-Mine; I know if I miss something important while he's talking, her facial expression will tell me quick…

"…recognize that 'forever face' on you two and we just want you to know how we feel about you bein' so tight at such a young age…"

…_Are my parents trying to kill me? I mean, Mercy and I figured out the parents were talking about us a long time ago, and we __**told **__them all how serious we were getting, so if we were wearing some kind of "future faces" they shouldn't have been so surprised. I swear, Mercy and me are just like Bonnie and Clyde…_

"…hauled your keister all the way up the highway and left your family's home for Mercedes Jones and Mercedes Jones alone…"

…_.Just tell the whole world I came back to Lima for Mercy, why don't you? _Dad knows how protective Mr. Benton is over Mercy… if **my **daughter looks anything like Mercy I know I'm gonna act a damn _fool_! Why would my own father give this overprotective man any more reason to distrust my ass? _These people are really trying to kill me…_

,"…less than three months if Sam comes back to Kentucky to spend some time with us…"

… _I mean, haven't I been through enough in the past two years that people might __**want **__me to be happy for once? Why did the last thing out of my dad's mouth have to be a reminder that Mercy and I are about to be apart again? _

And what does he mean by "less than three months?" Don't get me wrong, I love my family; but I _need_ to spend time this summer with Mercy, we both need it. She needs three months worth of Trouty Mouth-ed kisses to tide her over until we see each other again at Thanksgiving. I need three months of 'Cedes hugs to get me through school every day!

_What if they make me move back to Kentucky? _I send a guilty look at Dr. Jones, and I realize its his turn to talk, so I start to listen again…

"Thank you Dwight; let me first say, that my boy here…" Mercy's dad fist-bumps my dad. "…is absolutely right. You two have had to deal with a lot of shit since you hooked up."

Doc Jones looks across the table to point at Mercy. "Baby Girl, your relationship with Sam hasn't been carefree and easy since it started. Ya'll can't catch a damn break from the fuckery…its like the whole damn world is coming together to make you two suffer..."

_Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way._

"…But no more; we old folks want to make sure you two get all the time you need to have fun together this summer. We all agreed to remove your curfews and reduce your family responsibilities so you can get your get your Samcedes on."

_No curfew? Family responsibilities? They must mean babysitting…_

"Me and Dwight are proud of how grown up you were last year…you both kept jobs, you did all the Evans' housework, and still managed to take care of Stevie and Stacie at least 75% of the time…" he continued, after shooting us a few proud looks.

"…so we've decided to let you be kids all summer without having to worry about any of that."

…_What does that mean? _I must have looked pretty confused because he answered me right away..

"…What that means is that you two can spend the next three months together, doing everything you didn't have the time or money to do last year. Dwight and Mary are allowing Sam to stay here in Lima."

_Wow… I still need to get a job, but this is great! _I look over at Mercy and she still looks a little heated, probably mad at the daddies for scaring us before.

"Sam, I see the wheels turning in your head already, and I can tell you're already trying to figure out what kind of job you're gonna get to pay for all your dates…."

_Damn, my other dad can read me like a book._

"…and the answer is, you won't be needing one."

I must have looked really shocked then, because Doc Jones started chuckling and it reminded me of how much Mercy's laugh sounds like her daddy's_. My baby may have her mom's ass, but she definitely got Dr. Bent's laugh and smile…._

"…Stay with me son; Dwight and Mary are going to send Burt and Carol Hummel-Hudson money every month for them to disperse as an allowance. As long as you help around the house and follow their house rules, you won't have to work to pay for your dates and put gas in your car. Your parents are also gonna pay your cell phone bill for you."

_Oh my God, this is great. Now the only time we'll be apart is when our families go on vacation…_

"Sam, you're invited to spend 5 days with the Jones family in Las Vegas next month. Dani and I love to gamble, and you kids can hit all of the tourist attractions while we play. We have a three room suite at the Palms, so you can stay in the room with Matt and Marcus while Mercy stays by herself."

… _I always wanted to go visit a real wax museum, but the tickets are gonna cost me, and I know its expensive to eat in Vegas. I'm gonna have to find out if Puckerman can spare a few pool gigs this summer to pay for the trip._

"Don't worry about food and spending money; cause Mercy, Matt and Marcus aren't. You're one of our kids, too… We would be honored if you would let us treat you, same way we pay for all of them."

_Damn, he called me one of his kids, now I think I'm gonna cry…._

"Mercedes, the Evans family want to take you with them when they visit Yosemite in July, and you're invited to be their guest as well."

…I look over at Mercy and she has tears in her eyes as she reaches out for my mom's hand.

"The whole Evans family is coming to Orlando for the Jones Family Reunion with us, the week of the 4th of July week, cuz my partner over there…" Dr. Bent gestures at my dad now, " …is gonna help me scrub my cousin Lenny on the golf course!"

This time when I catch her eye we both break out laughing.

"The Evans family will be staying here with us for the next 5 days, Sam you can take Matt's room."

_I get to spend the night? _

"We do insist that you Skype your family every Sunday, and hope you find time to give your parents and siblings a call every few days…"

_I already do that, I'd miss them too much otherwise. _

"…so even with you two hanging out hardcore, you ought to be able to get enough family time in there to satisfy everybody!"

_I wonder if our folks can mind-read… _

"So you can go ahead and plan your asses off, we won't try and block your fun. We aren't making this a condition, but we would like to encourage you guys to spend some of your time hanging with your friends…"

_Mercy was just talking about getting in some fun with the New Directions before the c/o 2012 started leaving Lima…_

"…Ya'll were a big secret last summer and missed out on sharing your joy with the rest of your clique. If you guys will promise to plan a few big Glee outings and parties, we old folks will promise to pay for them."

…_wow… _

'Sam, your family is gonna miss seeing you but we all agree that you don't have to visit Lexington until mid-August, so you can get some Evans time in right before school starts back."

He looks over to Mercy. "And, Babygirl, you can go with him."

_I wonder what the catch is?_

"If you agree to this arrangement, there are a few rules you have to follow…"

_I knew there was a catch._

"…which Mary will go into specifics about a little later. But right now its lunch time…"

I look down at my watch and see its already past 11:30.

"…and Kurt should be on his way over with the twins." Doc Jones finished.

…_Wait, the twins are with Kurt? I was so busy worrying about what they were gonna say I forgot to ask where the little monsters were, I cant wait to see them…_

* * *

_**Dwight POV: **_

Whew! I didn't think I would make it through my part without laying on the floor and laughing…I just scared the fire out of Mercedes and Sam, and I'm struggling to hold in my chuckles. They probably think we we're about to make 'em break up or tell Sam we expect him to come to Kentucky for the summer. I should have messed with 'em a little more.

Now I'm thinking' about how good it feels to have something to laugh about, because this time last year I didn't. Its no secret that we Evans' have been through hell this past year. After Bent tells them they can both spend the summer together in Lima, I tune out and remember how hard life was back then…..

~Flashback~

_Dwight Evans has always been the type of man to count his blessings, even when those blessings are seemingly few and far between. He wakes up every morning and thanks God for his wife and kids, for his health, for the roof over his head, and all of the love in his life. The Evans family had always been more than comfortable, and Dwight was filled daily with gratitude over his great fortune. _

_When the architectural firm where he had worked for over 16 years expanded and opened a branch in Lima, and his boss asked him to relocate and run the new location; Dwight prayed for guidance. On the one hand, he loved the idea of providing well enough that Mary could retire and stay home with the kids. On the other hand, he knew they would be forfeiting a large part of her retirement income later in life because she was not yet fully vested. _

_Also, the family would have to use most of its savings to put a down payment on their new home in Lima, while still paying the mortgage on their home in Nashville until it sold. This meant the Evans clan would basically be living paycheck to paycheck for a while despite the salary increase. Luckily, Sam was really looking forward to going to a public school (with girls) for the first time, so Dwight and Mary ran the numbers, eventually deciding that they could still live comfortably until the house sold down South. So the happy family relocated and committed to a new life in Lima._

_About three months after the family relocated, Dwight's firm was purchased by a huge corporation. If Dwight had been considered a veteran employee, the family would have benefited greatly from the changes instituted. He would have received more paid time off, had a nominal salary increase, and a bigger share of company stock dispersed to him annually. Instead, new management decided to "trim the fat" from the company payroll, starting with those most recently hired. The newly hired Nashville transplant with the six-figure salary was the first to be handed a pink slip, in early August of 2010. _

_Dwight applied for and received unemployment benefits, as well six month's salary as severance pay, but could not find work in his field. Dwight used his severance pay to maintain both mortgages and run the household for two months. after that, he and Mary decided to find out if arrangements could be made with the banks to pay later, so the family could use his income to pay bills while looking for work. Both banks balked on making said arrangements, instead they called the loans due. The end result was that both homes were foreclosed on, early December 2010. The family was given 90 days to vacate; but Dwight and Mary, wanting the kids to enjoy Christmas, told no one._

_Near the middle of February 2011, Dwight had pulled Sam aside and told him what was happening. Dwight recognized the disappointment that flickered across Sam's face, but could tell the exact moment when his son decided to do all he could to help. Dwight watched, as his son reached into the pocket of his purple hoodie and pulled out his wallet. After telling Dwight that he had been making extra money as a one man tribute band (what?) Sam insisted that his dad keep the proceeds. _

_Sam gave Dwight almost $300 that day and immediately volunteered to get a job at the pizza place down the street. Then he offered to sell his truck, game console, laptop and ipod to help his parents stockpile a little bit of money to pay for room and board wherever they ended up going. Not long after the family moved into the American Family Motel near Lima Heights Adjacent, Dwight's severance pay ran out; now the family relied solely on what they had saved, his weekly unemployment check, and Sam's tips. _

_Dwight saw firsthand the effect these changes were having on his son, and struggled with the guilt he felt as a result. It pained the older Evans to see his son lose weight, sacrificing food so the twins could go to bed full. Dwight also noticed the dark circles that now appeared underneath Sam's eyes; he knew they were a byproduct of working later and later each night, hoping the next customer would be a big tipper. Dwight also sensed his son's embarrassment when Quinn and Kurt found out; he knew his son was grateful for the babysitting and castoff clothing, but was also ashamed to need the help. Dwight, again, prayed; this time for the strength to help his family make the best of this horrible situation, and that God grant Sam some measure of peace throughout this ordeal. _

_Dwight received the answer to his prayers the day after Junior Prom in the form of a pretty, plump girl with skin the color of chocolate, a powerful voice, big brown eyes, and an even bigger heart. Mercedes Jones was a force to be reckoned with, something Mr. Evans found out the first time she called the motel room's telephone. The girl asked to speak to Sam and Dwight handed the phone over, watching in awe as a smile immediately spread across his son's face . Dwight listened in, as Sam repeatedly told the girl to stop thanking him for prom… Mr. Evans could tell the evening had been Sam's pleasure. _

_Then Sam playfully sang a song about "Friday" while the girl on the other end laughed loudly enough for Dwight to hear through the phone line. They talked, and after about five minutes, Sam turned to his father, saying that "Mercedes" would like to speak to him. When a puzzled Dwight took the phone, he was immediately bombarded with a rapid-fire litany of questions about Dwight and Mary's work-search schedule._

_ Mercy (as he was now instructed to call her) insisted that she would be the Evanses new go-to babysitter. She informed Dwight that he and his family were invited to Sunday dinner that night, so that they could get to know her and trust her with the kids. When Dwight tried to decline so as not to put the Joneses out, Mercy interrupted, saying that she was already outside waiting and that she wouldn't take "no" for an answer._

_That girl had a knack for getting all __**on top of **__the Evans' business, in the most formidable (yet loving way) possible. Mercedes could tell that Dwight and Mary had too much pride to take advantage of Federal and State programs for the poor, so instead of applying for free school lunches the Evans kids made do with bologna sandwiches and juice boxes packed in reused brown paper bags. Instead of taking advantage of Food Assistance programs that help families buy groceries, the ashamed Evans clan opted to survive largely on boxes of mac and cheese, canned meats, ramen noodles, and lots and LOTS of beans. Instead of applying for programs that would pay medical bills and allow the whole family to receive doctor checkups and dental visits, the uninsured Evans family chose to simply pray that they didn't get sick._

_ None of this was okay with Mercedes, so she took it upon herself to force Sam's family to apply for a low income dental program through Benton's practice. After finally obtaining the completed paperwork (that she nagged and nagged Sam to get filled out), Mercedes went online to print out applications out for Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Free Lunch programs. When that was done, she filled these forms out, using the same information from the applications for dental aid. Finally, Mercedes had shown up at the American Family Motel, to inform Dwight and Mary that she had no problem forging their signatures to the paperwork if they didn't agree to sign them voluntarily. As a matter of fact, Mercedes went on, she would gladly spend time in prison if it meant Sam, Stevie, and Stacie would be well-fed and healthy. The Evans parents signed the forms, hugged Mercedes, and waited for her to leave so they could laugh themselves red in the face at the girl who had become Sam's best friend._

~End Flashback~

…_**..**_I'm the kind of person that most people in this world underestimate; when they see my blonde hair and hear my Southern accent, a lot of folks assume I'm not the brightest bulb in the box. But, as I taught Sam early on in life, just because I'm good lookin' doesn't mean I'm dumb. I **know** that God brought my family here to Lima and put us through all of this struggle so my son could find his heart's home. That little Hershey drop is the best thing to ever happen to my Sam, and he might not have ever found her if we were still livin' in Nashville. Now, I know Benton wants the kids to use this summer to reinforce why they shouldn't wanna hitch their wagons together too soon…but that's not what I'm here for. I hope those kids fill this summer with enough laughter and love to tide them over until Sam graduates (he might even be able to get enough credits by January if he buckles down). Then I want him to catch the first thing smokin' to LA with all of his worldly belongings and an engagement ring in his pocket.

I've been watchin' them long enough that I know my Sam is just a better person when he's around Hershey Mercy. His grades got better, he stopped worrying about tryin' to date cheerleaders, he even stopped bleaching his hair. He quit trying to hide his accent, he started writin' music again, and he even submitted artwork for a comic book competition. When my son actually started talkin' about college (something he hadn't done since before we moved to Lima) I thanked the lord for sendin' Sam somebody who made him feel invincible…

It's not all one-sided, either; my boy is good for Mercy, too. Sam believes in her talent more than anyone in that whole Glee club they're in, even the dang teacher! He put that video of her singin' in that red dress up on the Internet and some record producer in California hired her on the spot! Sammy told me that when they first started datin', Mercy wouldn't let him see her in a bathing suit, and got all embarrassed every time he pulled her onto his lap. She thought she was too heavy for him to find sexy and even made him promise to keep their relationship a secret from the people at their high school. According to Sam, Mercy was scared to death that the "cheery-hoes" would see them together and embarrass him so much for datin' "Wheezy" (which I guess is her nickname at school) that he would break up with her.

I can tell you right now, that there is nonsense…we are from the South and down there Hershey would have been the most popular girl in school; Sam would have been fightin' boys left and right for looking at her too hard. But Hershey Mercy was raised here in Lima, where girls like her don't get too much attention. Sam told me it took him some time, but he made sure to nip that kind of thinking right in the bud.. By the middle of last July, Mercy and Sam were spending' every minute of daylight possible around her pool… and most of time she was wearing a two-piece swimsuit! There is no way on God's green earth that those two were not meant to spend their whole lives makin' each other happy, startin' **right now**! Sorry Im not sorry for thinkin' it…

* * *

**A/N: For those of you wondering what the title of this story refers to, I have decided to add a small rant in explanation.**

**I really, REALLY hate the way Glee writers mishandled the relationship between Sam and Mercedes. It's pretty obvious that the powers that be were really shocked that they could ever develop a legitimate following as a couple. The Season 2 finale hand-holding on line in the Lima Bean was nothing more than a pitiful attempt to create a cliff-hanger based on a crack-ship.**

**Chord and Amber totally took an unlikely pairing and completely sold it to the masses…They're cute together aesthetically, they have these really adorable moments, you see all kinds of sexual tension, and the fans love them.**

**The Samcedes relationship finally let the fan base see some really great traits from the 2 characters: For instance, the audience finally got to see a softer side of Mercedes. Instead of the "bitch betta give me my solo" aspect of the character; we actually see her giggling and flirting with a boy. For Sam, we finally get a glimpse of a relationship where he's allowed to be happy. Instead of getting into a relationship with a girl based on popularity stakes, Sam finally gets to hang out with a girl he gets along with.  
**

**I've said all of this to illustrate how crap-tastic it is for TPTB to break up a couple with such potential, and not even address the breakups in any real way. Season 4 is the second time this pairing has been done away with offscreen. Unlike Tike, though, they didn't even get a mention. They get shoved under the rug every time the average heat index drops below 85 degrees.**

**Summer flings are a beautiful thing: heady as hell, and everyone should have one before they die. But I really held out hope that Samcedes would find its way into Season 4. I was looking forward to seeing Mercy and Sam cuddling in front of fires and kicking fallen leaves and going to football games... I know separation would have been difficult to overcome, but (unlike the show's other ships) they've had to battle distance before, they might have been the couple to make it work.  
**

**I find the whole "Love in the Summer, Break up in the Fall" deal to be both insulting and unappealing. **

**Okay, Rant over…**


	3. Beautiful Beginnings

**A/N: This is my version of "how Sam and Mercedes became a couple." It's a flashback, told from an omniscient point of view. The chapter references things that occurred as early as Born This Way, through Season 3. The next few chapters make more sense with a little background thrown it. It's all narration… no dialogue at all. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. I actually like my own version of events better.  
**

**Please excuse any errors I may have missed!  
**

* * *

_Back in December of 2011, when Sam returned to WMHS, it was no secret to the members of New Directions that he was there for the sole purpose of getting Mercedes Jones back as his girlfriend. He shot her hungry looks across crowded hallways and busy classrooms. He gestured wildly to her every time he sang a song in Glee. He left letters, flowers, candy, and pictures in her locker to remind her of the summer they spent together, and he declared loudly to any one who would listen that he wanted to win her back._

_It was also no secret, to anyone watching closely enough, that Mercedes enjoyed all of Sam's advances. Sure, Mercedes was much better at hiding her emotions than the boy pursuing her, but an observant watcher would have no problem seeing Mercedes' reactions to Sam's theatrics. Whenever Sam serenaded Mercedes, she would sit mesmerized and unable to ignore him; while smiling ear to ear. When Sam left tokens of love in her locker, Mercedes saved them in a binder with the words "my only love" written across the front. And __**everyone**__ in Glee noticed the face-palm giggling Mercedes couldn't hide whenever Sam caused a scene or flirted outrageously._

_For most of the New Directions, the dynamic between Sam and Mercedes was considered really random. Sure, they'd all known that the two had dated, but there wasn't a single New Directions member that had seen the couple together more than 3 times last summer... Also, Mercedes had openly denied that the relationship was more than a fling; so why did it seem like the couple now had unfinished business?_

_It didn't seem plausible to their friends that Sam and Mercedes had been together long enough to have actually fallen in love; but the more the New Directions watched the two interact, the more likely it seemed. The worst part of seeing Sam and Mercedes struggle so hard with their feelings for each other, was not knowing much _about_ their summer love. Many of Mercedes and Sam's friends would have offered advice to the couple, or some sort of encouragement; but they didn't have enough information about the relationship to do so. Because they weren't privy to any knowledge that would allow them to help, Sam and Mercedes' Glee friends simply watched as the two struggled. _

_Had anyone asked Sam and Mercedes how it was that they got so close so fast; the two would have replied that the relationship bloomed under the cover of darkness. None of their peers knew they were becoming important to one another, so the two didn't have to deal with the opinions and advice of those around them. As a result, their bond was allowed to grow without any outside influence._

_Sam and Mercedes often laughed about how shocked Quinn would be if she knew her friends had actually fallen in love before they ever shared a first kiss. Mercedes spent hours laughing at Sam's impression of Rachel fainting dramatically; pretending she had just been told that Sam and Mercedes exchanged "I love you's" before having an actual date. Sam was especially tickled, after he and Mercedes made love for the first time, by the fact they weren't even an actual a couple yet. Their relationship time table, though unorthodox, felt natural to the pair. Lack of judgment from outside sources had ensured that the couple focused its attention on the things a relationship needed to truly blossom: honesty, communication, shared interests, and mutual respect. _

_The friendship between Sam and Mercedes started innocently enough; with Mercedes feeling sorry for Sam after Santana broke up with him (via ninja surprise attack) in Glee rehearsal. He looked so sad afterward, and so hurt that another girlfriend thought so little of his feelings… Sam obviously had no clue what he had done to deserve this treatment, and Mercedes wanted to see if she could help him in any way. The whole Glee club had been so outraged by Karofsky's presence, and so disgusted by the obviously fake relationship he and Santana had now begun- but no one seemed to remember that Santana had not dumped Sam before moving on. Mercedes and Sam were already sitting side by side when Mr. Shuester dismissed the club, so when everyone else had left, Mercedes wordlessly reached over and gave Sam a big hug. No one else had noticed his pout or his arms crossed in anger other than Mercedes, and she wanted to comfort him in the best way she knew. _

_Truth be told, Sam needed that hug badly. No one other than Quinn and Kurt knew what the Evanses were going thorough at the moment…and Sam was being pulled in so many directions, that it felt good to let someone take care of him for once. Mercedes could tell the instant Sam relaxed enough to really hug her back; and the two took joy in expressing simple friendship. _

_After that, they talked a lot. Sam would meet Mercedes in the auditorium for lunch; partly because he did not particularly want to sit anywhere he might see Santana campaigning for prom queen with Karofsky, and partly because he liked to hear her practice her solos for church. Mercedes then volunteered to help Sam learn the choreography for the "Born this Way" performance. She knew he was dyslexic and that the condition sometimes made learning dance steps difficult. Sam responded by helping Mercedes finish a huge Spanish class project, which required her to draw; a skill she had never possessed. _

_When it became clear to Mercedes that she and Kurt would remain distant (even though he was back at McKinley), Mercedes started meeting Sam in the school library to do homework daily-because it reduced her feelings of loneliness. The two had developed a great friendship, and had a great time together. However, their relationship might never have progressed beyond school walls if Sam had not fallen prey to vicious school gossip, and if Mercedes had not gone to his motel to apologize for her part in it._

_When Sam opened the door of the motel room his family shared to see Mercedes standing there, he could tell she felt horrible about her part in accusing him of bad behavior. Unlike the other members of New Directions, though, she made sure to tell him so. Sure, Finchel may have made the grand gesture of returning Sam's guitar and passing on old clothing; but they didn't even attempt to hide the fact they also wanted to ensure his partition in Nationals as well. Twenty minutes after the couple left Sam's room, Mercedes showed up. She didn't bring any castoff clothing or return any pawned consumer goods; she came bearing a sincere apology, a plea for forgiveness, and another warm hug. _

_Mercedes, unlike Finchel, (who left as soon as Sam promised to remain in Glee) stayed and helped Sam feed the twins a snack. While Sam went into the kitchenette to prepare dinner, Mercedes found _Toy Story 3 _on TV, and insisted on staying to watch the movie with the twins. Instead of shooting the blonde trio pitying looks and turning down an offer to stay for dinner, Mercedes remained there with them and laughed with the Evans children while eating frozen pizza and drinking chocolate milk. After singing the twins to sleep, Mercedes pulled Sam into another hug and promised him she would never gossip again. He hugged her back and told her laughingly that whenever it was her turn to cook, all Evanses loved fried chicken. The two friends agreed at that moment, silently, to never mention the incident again._

_If idle gossip was responsible for making Sam and Mercedes see that they made great friends, Prom is what convinced the two that they were destined to be more. After Sam walked Mercedes home from the dance and made his way to his family's motel room he lay on the sofa where he slept and stared at the ceiling for hours. During his stay in this motel room, Sam had often found himself unable to sleep immediately after going to bed, because he always had things on his mind he wanted to work through. Mentally tracing the plaster patterns above his head was an excellent way of sorting through the maze in his brain and finding solutions to his problems. On this particular night, he thought about the great time he had just had and tried to pinpoint why he was so surprisingly happy, in a way he had not been happy since he moved to Lima. Sam knew that the wave of euphoria he felt had little do with his performance at Prom; though it did feel great to hear the applause. He also knew that his elation wasn't complexly related to laughing and dancing with his friends all night. _

_Sam contemplated this long enough to realize that the happiness he couldn't shake had everything to do with the time he spent with Mercedes Jones. Mercedes, upon opening her family's front door, had complimented him on the bold style choice of wearing a bolo tie; he hadn't even had to mention that Springsteen was his inspiration, Mercedes pulled out a copy of _Tunnel of Love _right when he'd been about to explain. At Breadstix, Mercedes made it a point to give Jesse St. Douche serious side-eye and call attention to his obvious lack of intelligence when St. Dick embarrassed Sam. Mercedes was also the first to congratulate him after singing "Friday" with Puck and Artie, whispering that his voice alone saved the song from sucking. _

_Furthermore, the girl visibly lit up from the inside when Sam asked her to dance to Rachel's rendition of "Jar of Hearts." It wasn't lost on Sam that no girl had ever been so happy to hold his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. When Blaine sang, Mercedes totally fed off of Sam's goofy dance moves, and did quite a few of her own. After Sam dropped Mercedes off, he literally stood outside her house laughing out loud at the demands Mercedes had made of him moments before.  
_

_After mulling these things over for some time, it occurred to Sam that all of his best Prom moments somehow involved his de-facto date; and he promised himself two things. One: that he would thank Rachel Berry for inviting Jesse St. Jerk along on their Prom-On-A-Budget. Jesse may have annoyed Sam for most of the evening, but his presence made the outing an unofficial double date (on which he had been allowed to escort Mercedes). Two: he would figure out a way to spend more time in Mercedes' company._

_For Mercedes Jones, Prom night gave her a glimpse into the lives of girls who peak in high school. For the first time ever, Mercedes had gotten ready for a dance, then come downstairs to open the front door for her actual date. For once, she was one of those girls walking into a badly decorated gymnasium on the arm of a boy who looked happy to be there with her. Finally, she actually had a picture of herself, dressed to the nines, on the arm of a cute boy (and Rachel). No, the two didn't arrive in a chauffeur-driven limo… and yes, they were actually expected to provide the entertainment at the dance to boot. But Mercedes got to twirl around under the arm of her date. This, alone, made the whole evening a dream come true. _

_All of the patented Mercy-hugs Sam had received over the last few weeks had made the couple very comfortable showing tactile affection. That night, neither was uncomfortable when Sam picked a stray streamer from Mercedes' shoulders that had drifted onto her as they walked to the refreshment table. Neither did they become shy when Mercedes brushed Sam's bangs away from his eyes following a vigorous fast dance. The two held hands while drinking punch at a table, and walked to Mercedes' house holding pinkies because they each wanted some small contact with the other. Sam had never spent time with a girl and felt so at ease. Mercedes couldn't remember ever having a boy (who wasn't Kurt) pay so much attention to her. After that night, Sam and Mercedes couldn't have stayed away from each other for anything in the world._

_Post-Prom, Mercedes and Sam didn't make plans to formally date. They didn't sit together in Glee (often) or eat out at Breadstixx. They never made out in empty classrooms or flirted via Glee song. They weren't even a couple, but make no mistake, the two were falling fast in love. Mercedes spent most of her time trying to think of ways to make his homelife more bearable, because she believed he deserved every blessing that could be sent his way. Sam devoted what free time he had to making Mercedes giggle and smile, because he realized that she reserved one particular shy smile for him and him alone. _

_They held hands while baby sitting, and fell asleep with the twins between them after movie marathons. Mercedes shared her history notes with Sam, determined to see this amazing person's GPA improve. Sam came over to help her wash her car every Saturday, because he loved it when she threatened him for getting her wet. They each brought the other to visit his or her church, sharing family dinners afterward. The couple did these things without ever uttering any romantic words, without sharing kisses, or going on formal dates._

_Part of the reason the two moved so slowly with one another was Mercedes' lack of experience. She had never had a real boyfriend, so this way of getting close (but not too close) appealed to her. Mercedes had already decided that she could handle hugs, hand-holding, and cuddles; she welcomed them in fact. She had no intention, though, of going further until they finally talked about the budding relationship. _

_As for Sam, he was actually fine with things progressing slowly as well. Sam knew, and could admit, that he had come on very strongly when wooing Quinn. He realized soon after they broke up, that she hadn't been ready to pursue a serious relationship. In fact, Quinn had told him in many different ways that she'd been scarred by her brief stint as a teen mom. Sam's adorable pushing, coupled with Quinn's need to prove herself as Queen Bee again, prompted her to accept his love while still unable to share her own. When the relationship crashed, Sam was the one who consequently got burned. _

_In contrast, Sam had tried to allow his relationship with Santana to remain less emotional. Sam figured that if they spent their time together having fun, and only having fun, he couldn't get hurt. Sam's true nature, though, wouldn't allow him to engage in a relationship on those terms. Sure, he enjoyed kissing, touching, and experimenting with Santana, but Sam eventually realized he would have enjoyed a few heart-to-heart talks about their feelings between make-out sessions. Sam decided that if he had to choose between sharing company with a compatible female, and becoming more physical, that he would take the conversation any day. Plus, a full-body snuggle from Mercedes Jones felt a lot like a kiss or a fondle from any one else. He loved her and wasn't about to jeopardize that love by traveling at warp speed into a relationship._

_By the time New Directions performed "Pure Imagination" for Jean Sylvester's funeral, both were aware of the feelings they had for each other, and each was ready to let the other know. When Finn broke up with Quinn a second time, she attempted to reconcile with Sam while he stood there talking to Mercedes. Mercedes was flattered when Sam told Quinn that he preferred to keep her as a friend, and that he had feelings for another girl. Likewise, when on the ride home, a matchmaking Kurt suggested a double date with Klaine, Mercedes, and Anthony Rashad. Mercedes responded, telling Kurt she had no intention of settling for a silly jock. Sam was pleased when she stated that she would rather wait for a quality guy. The two had approached their growing friendship very carefully, so by the time Sam and Mercedes were ready to place a romantic label on their new relationship, they had already done the difficult part of falling in love._


	4. May 25, 2012 Pt 3

**A/N: This chapter picks up where Chapter 2 leaves off: May 25, 2012. The mothers will now have their say!**

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever claim ownership of Glee, its characters, or the manner in which those characters are mistreated on television. I would never admit to being responsible for the hot mess my favorite show has become.**

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_**Mercedes POV:**_

I swear, I'm gonna give my daddy the silent treatment for a week, messing with me and Sam like this. I saw him over there, holding back laughter while Dwight scared my boo. I really hope he enjoyed himself, because he can just forget about me baking any sweet potato pies or Red Velvet cake for dessert for the next few Sundays… that shit was just unnecessary.

While Sam and the daddies go outside to uncover our pool so the twins can play before lunch, I go help the moms cook. Its funny to think about them as teenagers, but they act just like me and Tina sometimes; the way they gossip and compliment each other on hairstyles and nail color. Mama is making a meat loaf and can't even season the meat correctly because she and Mrs. Mary keep squealing and doing the girly jump-and-hug thing me and my friends do. Mrs. Mary is chopping up veggies to make a potato salad but she keeps putting down the knife to run over and whisper something in Mama's ear. I love seeing them together, its like having two mamas, which I guess now I sort of do.

While they bond, I let my mind wander to the day when Sam and I finally decided to talk to each other about our feelings….

**~Flashback~**

_It was the Wednesday before New Directions were scheduled to leave for New York for Nationals. We had been excused from school Thursday and Friday to arrive at the venue and register. First round of the competition would take place Saturday, and Finals on Sunday. If all went well we would be returning to school the next Tuesday with a first place trophy. Glee rehearsal was short, so that any last minute packing could be done, and all New Directions could get a good night's sleep before our 6 am flight. _

_Since Sam and I had already packed, and even put all of our luggage safely into the trunk of my car, he and I decided to spend a little time together before going home. We drove to a park not far from the school, left the car in the lot, and walked over to a few benches that faced the duck pond. Up until this time, all of our touches were innocent ones. We hugged a lot, he threw his arm around my shoulders all the time, and I loved to fix his tie before church, but that was as physical as things ever got between Sam and I. _

_To be honest, I wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of kissing someone, when I hadn't even told him I liked him out loud. Whatever reasons Sam had for keeping things so innocent, our unspoken agreement worked well for us. We held hands while we strolled over to the farthest bench; he sat down first with his arms spread wide across the back of the seat, while I sat with my back to him and pulled my knees to my chest. I had just rested my head on his shoulder and smiled because his breath was tickling my ear, when a shadow loomed and I heard a throat clearing. _

_Looking up, I saw Jessica Morris, a leggy blonde sophomore Cheerio with green eyes. Standing next to her was Aimee Richards, another blonde Cheerio who made Brittany look smart. I'm pretty sure the only reason Jessica didn't try to make Aimee miserable at school is the fact that they're cousins. She's definitely the type of bitch that preys on the weak._

"_Evans, what the hell are you doing in the park all hugged up with this fugly Glee freak," I heard Jessica say in an outraged voice. _

_Now, I pride myself on being able to deal with selfish, entitled, bitchy girls with no problem. Hell; I lived with Quinn for months, fight for solos with Rachel all the time, and willingly spend my weekends hanging out with Santana! Chicks like Jessica, though, take all those bad qualities and make them unbearable by adding a shitty attitude and a serious mean streak. _

_I know I have a reputation for having a hell-to-the-no attitude, and not taking shit from anybody, but I don't go off on basic bitches nearly as much as people seem to think I do. I have to say, though, that Jessica's ass gets me mad enough to cut a bitch every time she opens her damn mouth. _

"_I mean, when I asked you out and you turned me down, I figured you were gonna hook up with another loser, since you Glee boys act like you don/t see any of the other girls at school… But what the fuck are you hanging out with Monique over here for?" The heifer in red and white went on._

_Oh, no this bitch did not just call me Monique; how the hell is it her business if Sam wants to be with me? I mean, she could pass for his sister or something; that's how much alike they look, maybe he likes a girl who doesn't look like his mom. "Bitch, I got your Monique," I informed her as I stood up and started removing my left earring. _

"_Bring it on, Precious" she snarled. "You can't hit me if you can't catch me…" she continued "…and everybody knows fat bitches can't run for shit."_

_While she was running her mouth I reached up and grabbed her high pony-tail with my right hand and yanked her head down so I could talk directly into her ear._

"_How you gonna run when I already caught you?" I asked. Just when I was about to take my left hand and choke her ass, Sam stood up, caught me around the waist, and picked me up. He swung me around saying "Baby, please don't get into trouble for killing a Cheery-ho before Nationals. You can get her on Tuesday when we get back to school.."_

_Jessica's bitch-ass got real hot, then…she turned her attention on Sam and sneered, "Baby? Can't you see how nasty she looks? You have a nice body, and all kinds of muscles; but I know you threw your back out picking her lardy ass up. Don't you wan…."_

_Before she could finish her sentence, Sam let me go and I tackled her. After I got her on the ground, I sat across her chest and landed four or five punches to her face. As I got my licks in, I made sure to punctuate them with statements like "See how heavy I really am, bitch?" and "bet you believe I can run, now." By the time I finished telling that her she looked hungry and that I had some fists she could snack on, Sam had decided to stop me again and picked me back up. _

_Jessica stood, and ran to the public restroom crying while Sam carried me to my car. I struggled, begging him to let me go so I could go finish what I started, but my squirming was no match for his muscles. When he managed to wrangle me into the backseat, Sam sat beside me and faced me wearing a really cheesy smirk._

"_Damn Mercy, I know you like to talk about cuttin' a bitch, but I really thought you were all talk, and too nice to fuck anybody up for real…" he chucked. _

"…_who in the hell taught you how to throw punches? You went straight up Laila Ali on her ass, and you don't have a hair out of place!" Now he was past chuckling and well into guffawing._

"_If I hadn't pulled you away you'd have broken her damn nose!" He was straight up laughing now._

"_I want you to teach Stacie how to fight, it will make my job a lot easier when she's 17 and hot…" Now I laughed at how silly he was being _

"_She didn't even get in a lick…" Sam was bent over red in the face now, having way too much fun._

"…_That, right there, is a perfect example of why I love you!" Sam rambled, wiping the tears from his cheeks and gasping for breath. _

"_Y-you love me?" I asked him, shocked as hell, not knowing if he would take his words back. I mean, I knew I was falling for Sam after prom, but I was way too shy to say it out loud. This was the first time I had ever heard those words and I couldn't believe the boy saying it was so perfect for me. _

"_Hell yea, I love you, Mercy…" Sam didn't even seem unsure about answering my question. _

"…_I knew I was just gonna blurt it out at the wrong time, and I didn't want to tell you like this, but I've been falling for you since Prom…" _

_He obviously wanted to explain why he hadn't spoken up before then, because he finished with, "…We haven't even been on a date together, what kind of asshole drops an 'L' bomb on a girl he hasn't even gone anywhere romantic with?"_

_I decided to ignore the heavy part of what he said, and concentrate on the part of his statement I could process so I said, "We go places alone, all the time, like today. I think it's really romantic when we cuddle on park benches. How do you know I don't count this as a date?" _

_Sam was really quick to answer, "I wouldn't let you get away from a date with me without kissin' on those pretty lips, so to quote the lady 'Hell-To-The-No' we haven't been on a date!" I would have laughed again, but I had something serious to say to him._

"_I love you too, Sam. I didn't know how to tell you either. I was so scared of how much I was feeling, and I'm not really used to this kind of thing, so I just kept my mouth shut." It was going to kill me to say this next part but I had to do it. "I can't be your girlfriend, though… you saw what just happened with the Cheery-Ho! What if everyone in school makes fun of you for being seen with me?"_

"_Fuck that, and fuck them.." Sam was mad, now. _

"…_do you even know why that she-beast was so upset just now? Because I've been running like hell away from her ass all year long!" _

_I must have looked really shocked; Sam knows I think its kind of hot when he curses, mostly because he really doesn't use bad language much. I'd never seen him get mad and flip out, so it was pretty surprising (and actually, even hotter than usual). _

"_The minute that dumb-ass found out that Bieste had made me the quarterback in September, she started a campaign to get me as her boyfriend. She-thing was leaving letters, along with pairs of her panties, in my locker," he continued. "She sat on my lap in the cafeteria and broke into my truck so that she would be in the passenger seat when I went outside after school. Bitch even got that dim-witted ass cousin of hers, to pass me notes in Spanish class with Jessica's naked pictures folded inside them…"_

_Okay, what the hell…_

"…_The only reason that dragon-lady quit is because I started dating Quinn, and Jessica is terrified of Quinn…" _

…_that part I knew about. Everybody at school knows Jessica wants to be Quinn so bad she can taste it. _

"…_and after Santana and I split up, do you know that junior prostitute tried to HIRE me as her boyfriend? She totally offered to pay me $10 an hour, just to be seen with her skanky ass. Told me that was more money than I would make delivering pizzas and that it would help out my poor family more." _

_Stalker much?_

"_Please, understand Mercy, that I don't want a relationship built on popularity again, especially if keeping a-hold to your popularity makes you act like __**her**__!" Sam is hot as hell when he gets all serious and passionate about something._

"_I hear you Sam, and I get that having a good relationship with your girlfriend is more important than being popular now, but you've never been picked on at school before, not for real" I wanted him to really understand, so I turned to look him directly in the eyes. _

"_You may have suffered through 2 or three slushies since joining Glee, but Tina, Kurt and I were catching 2 or 3 a week BEFORE Glee started. Karofsky has hated me since junior high when I kicked him in the balls for making fun of me in P.E. He started fucking with me when everybody in school called him gay for getting his ass handed to him by a girl…" _

_That made Sam laugh out loud._

"… _and Azimio used to stop him from targeting me too much back in 9__th__ grade because he had a crush on me. He asked me out, but I turned him down 'cause he's such a damn bully. That's when he started throwing the damn slushies himself. If anybody in that clique sees you hanging out with me in a non-platonic way, your ass is gonna become prime target number one."_

"_I get that, Mercedes, but it doesn't change how I feel… You're like the sweetest girl I ever met, we have fun together, and you smile every time you see me at your front door; do you know how good that makes me feel?" I nod, because I totally get it._

"_I just told you I love you, and you tell me you can't be with me in the same breath you say 'I love you too.' It sucks…" _

_Sam looked at me hard, then brightened. "…What if we date each other, but don't do all the public stuff?" he asked. _

"_Are you asking me to be your secret girlfriend?" I asked, getting slightly offended._

"_No, not at all.." he stuttered. "…but we can see each other, dating without the girlfriend/boyfriend labels as long as it takes for you to be alright with taking us public. When the time comes, and you're comfortable enough and believe in our love enough to shout it to the world, then we'll be boyfriend and girlfriend.." _

_Damn, this boy is smart. _

"_Technically, we can see other people, but you know I only have eyes for you. I trust you not to hurt me." _

_Sam was seriously babbling now. _

"_So what do you say, Mercy? Will you let me take you out in New York? Will we get to have our first real date and first kiss afterward? Can we keep on having movie dates and going to church together, and go for coffee and make out on your couch?"_

"_Yes, yes to almost of it… I want to date you. I love you and I love spending time with you. Yes to New York, too. But no to waiting on that first kiss." I slid over and straddled his lap. "I want that to happen right now…" _

_And it did._

_**~End Flashback~**_

When we finished eating lunch, Kurt grabbed the twins by the hand and headed back out the door, saying that they had a play date with Blaine, Satan, and Britt. Once they were gone, Mama reached out and grabbed Sam's hand, guiding him to the end of table where I sat before lunch. After Mama motioned for him to sit to the right of the seat I had previously occupied, Sam's mom guided me to sit in the chair to the left of my old seat. I was now seated across from him; my mom sat beside him and Mary sat across from her. It must have been Ms. Mary's turn to speak now because she didn't waste any time jumping right back into our little intervention.

"All right kiddies, its white-mama's turn to talk, so listen up to what I have to say, cause I'm only gonna say this once…"

_I love how sassy Ms. Mary is, she's a trip. Plus, I can totally see why Sam never quit the synchronized swimming team. Evil as Coach Roz is, she probably reminds him of his mama. I think I heard somebody say Coach Roz was from Georgia, so it figures… Maybe Southern women are just naturally a hot damn mess._

"…If you two wanna have your summer of fun, you're gonna have to follow some simple rules…"

_Oh here we go, I knew this wasn't gonna be easy._

"…First, ya'll may not have to work to feed the family or baby-sit the twins like you did last year, but it would be nice if you spent a LITTLE time doing something constructive every week. You can look for a job with flexible hours, maybe something online would be good…"

_That could be cool…I always wondered how much those Facebook ad posters got paid, I bet Sam would be down if they let us do it together._

"…or maybe you guys could volunteer with the Salvation Army." She looks directly at Sam now, "You know how great they were, buying Christmas gifts for the kids last year….:

_Oh yeah, this is right up Sam's alley, he completely went off on Glee at Christmas when no one wanted to ring the bell with him._

"…or it would even be fine if you guys wanted to spend some time every week working on your individual projects." She looks at me and says "Mercy, I know you wanted to work on your original music for a college class, and Sam, you could devote a little energy this summer to your artwork, right?"

This actually isn't so bad, but I'm wondering if this "get something productive done" idea is the parents' way of making sure we spend some time apart this summer. I mean, I don't want to turn into Tike, but I need my Sammy time more than I need to get ahead in class.

"Whether you decide to make money, volunteer, or work on your projects doesn't matter to us. All we are asking is that you spend at least 10 hours of each week doing something other than just 'chilling…'

_Yeah they're trying to put space between us._

"…and you can even do it together!"

_Damn, white mama totally read my mind._

"Secondly, we want you two to know that the best part of seeing you two together is knowing that you share religious beliefs. You both take your faith very seriously and we want to encourage ya'll to grow together in the Lord…"

_Where were they when we started the God Squad? _

"…We don't care which church services you attend on Sunday, but we insist that you find your way into the house of the Lord every week. You can go to Bible study or Sunday service, doesn't matter as long as you crack a Bible together once you get there. Heck, if you wanna go to Temple with Puck on his Sabbath sometimes and learn a little about the Old Testament, we wont even be mad at you…"

_Fine by me, I love going to Mass with Sam, and I know he enjoys it when I get my gospel on._

"…Finally, we know that without curfews you two are gonna want take some trips together, both day and overnight. We wont stop you but we just ask that you tell us what you're planning beforehand. We won't insist on this, but we also ask that you take another couple if you go somewhere overnight, and they take a separate car. That way ya'll wont get stranded anywhere .

I look over at Sam, because he's been itching to go to Grand St. Mary's State Park for a long weekend, I bet we can get Mike and Tina on board.

"As ya'll know, with rules come consequences and repercussions…"

_Oh here we go…_

"…and if you two get out of hand with all this freedom we will take it away from you quick, fast and in a hurry. Y'all get caught up in somethin' illegal or immoral, or that you know we don't approve of the well's gonna run dry on parental understanding.."

…_they covered all the bases, didn't they?_

"..just to give a few examples, if ya'll get caught destroying property, or putting sex tapes online, or getting drunk in the woods like those kids on _American Pie _and _Porky's…"_

Now I look over at Sam, because we saw _Porky's_ together last month and them white kids were acting a fool. He's laughing his ass off now…

"..you Sam, will be on the first plane or train back to Lexington.."

…okay, laughing over.

"..and you Mercy, will find yourself in UCLA dormitory with a no coed visitation policy instead of an apartment with Puck. You wont have your emergency credit card, a vehicle, or the promise of plane tickets to see Sam…"

_Damn I think she's serious. I can't be carless, I'm too fly for the bus…_

"…we have no intention of breaking apart what God has in store for you two but we **can **make it plenty hard for you to lead each other astray. You two mess around and lose our trust and it'll be September 2013 before you get your hands on each other again…"

…_2013, they can't keep us apart for a whole year!_

"…and that's if Sam gets into college or finds a job in LA." Mrs. Mary seemed to be done threatening us, and I wondered if it was okay for us to speak yet.

"Any questions?" she asked.

"Just to make sure we understand you perfectly," I began. I wanted to make sure we knew what was expected of us. "Sam and I have to spend 10 hours per week doing some type of productive activity, attend church every week, let you guys know if were gonna travel too far from Lima, say 200 miles?" Mrs. Mary nodded. "And take another couple if we go away over night?"

Sam jumped in here with, "and as long as we don't forget our home training or act a fool we can have the whole summer to spend time together without curfews or obligations?"

Again Mrs. Mary nodded, and said "Were not playing with you guys but I'm done getting in your faces about it. Y'all are good kids, just remember that and have a good time!"

Sam and I look at each other again, and smile, saying together "We can do that!"

.

* * *

_**Danica POV:**_

As I sit here and listen to Mary tell the kids all of our conditions for allowing them to have their last carefree summer, I have to stop myself from laughing at that mess Dwight and Bent tried to pull. I saw them exchanging glances while they tortured those kids and pretended that we were about to "Romeo and Juliet" them. After all they've been through, that was just wrong.

I love Mercy and Sam so much, but I love them best when they're happy together. I remember how sad my baby girl used to be all the time before she hooked up with Sam. Back then, people were always disappointing her left and right. Between Kurt and Quinn ditching her, Rachel trying to smother her, and every boy in that fucking school ignoring her, I'm surprised 'Cedes could even fix her mouth to smile last year when me and Bent met her prom date.

But she **did** smile; my baby was straight up cheesing when she pretended to drag that boy over by his bolo tie and introduced him as Sam-I-Am. I saw plain as day right then that this boy was good at bringing a light into Mercy's eyes; together, the two of them look almost glowy. I love seeing my baby girl glow.

From what I can tell, ever since Junior Prom, Sam Evans has been my Mercy's best friend. He cares about her in a way that none of her other little buddies do. I mean, yeah, she helped him baby-sit just like she helped Kurt come out of the closet. She also showed his family love just like when she took a pregnant Quinn in. She even worked with him to help him get his English and History grades up just like she did for Finn, but the difference is that Sam never ditched her and forgot her afterward like they all did.

When Mary starts talking about the kids being obligated to attend church services, I smile and look over at the love birds; I know this won't be a problem. In fact if SamCedes hadn't been so big on going to church together last summer, she might not have ever rebounded with that Tinsley boy. I'm not saying I don't like Shane exactly, because he **was** sweet and good for Mercy's self esteem. These knuckleheads around here had my baby thinking no boy would ever love her like Sam did; so I actually owe Shane a lot for picking up where Sam left off.

What I **DON'T** like about him is how predatory he was after he decided he wanted her as his girlfriend. I remember the first time Shane came to church services after he and his family moved to Lima. Baby Girl had a solo, but Sam had usher duty at his church so he wasn't there that day. I was behind Mercy while she led us singing "Peace, Be Still," and she had every eye in the sanctuary tearing up. As she sang, I saw Shane get this look of determination on his face while looking directly at Mercedes.

After service, that boy hot-footed himself across the room and introduced himself to Mercedes before he could even salute the church members sitting in the same pew as him. I heard him tell her he was going to be a senior at WMHS and then he hinted around that he wished he knew more kids there so he wouldn't be alone his first day of school. You already know how sweet Mercy is, and I know she felt sorry for him, so she talked to him for a pretty long time.

She told me later Shane told her he going to try out for the football team and that she promised to introduce him to some of his future teammates soon. I should have known right then and there that boy was gonna be a hot damn mess, but I just assumed he was coming on strong out of loneliness.

The next week though, when Sam was back in the pew next to Mercy again, Shane showed all his true colors. I saw him sneaking looks at the couple, then I watched him nudge Deacon Riley's grandson Marvin, who sitting next to him. Shane whispered something in Marvin's ear, and he wasn't liking whatever Teddy whispered back. I figured he had just found out that Sam was Mercy's boo, because I saw him bite his lip, nod his head, and turn back toward the pulpit.

When church ended, Shane made his way over to Mercy, just like the week before; but before Mercedes could introduce Sam, Shane cut her off. I know he knew exactly who Sam was, but that boy had the nerve to put on a fake ass smile and say "I'm Shane, we just moved to Lima. I met Mercedes here last week. You must be her best friend Kurt…" You can't tell me that boy wasn't trying to be funny, and you could tell Sam was _not _amused.

Four weeks later, the Evans family announced that they would be moving the second weekend of August , and I made sure to watch my daughter for signs of sadness. I know how big a part of Cedes' life Sam had become and I knew how very little she saw Tina and Kurt back then. I didn't want the loneliness to become too much for her, I've been there myself and it's not a fun feeling.

I watched Mercy organize a going away/good luck party for the Evans family, and helped her pick out gifts to put in the "road-trip sanity" care packages she was making for all of the kids. I eavesdropped while Mercy downloaded hundreds of MP3s, and installed them on the iPod she bought him as a gift. I even got real nosy and straight up asked my daughter if the two of them would be breaking up or staying together. When she replied that they would remain a couple, stay faithful, and see each other on school holidays, I was ready to buy that boy a car just to make sure he had a way of finding his way back here.

When the Evanses drove away from the All-American for the last time, I held my daughter's hand as she cried; and I cried with her a little. She only stopped 30 minutes later, because Sam had started text bombing her and she couldn't cry while her boo was making her laugh. Even on the road that boy could make her glow, and I was so grateful to him it wasn't funny. I figured those two would be okay, but two weeks after he left, the shit hit the fan for real…

**~Flashback~**

_Two weeks after Sam and family left Lima, Mercy came down with a bad summer cold, which lasted almost an entire week. When Shane saw that Mercedes was missing that Sunday from church, he made it a point to ask Danica if Mercedes was attending services with her boyfriend that day. Danica let it slip that her daughter wasn't feeling well, and wasn't able make it, so Shane nodded, hugged her, and left to greet other congregation members. _

_The next day Danica woke up worried because Mercedes would be alone most of the day. Mercedes had actually been so isolated from her friends that the only people who even __**knew **__she was sick were church members and family. Just as Danica prepared to leave for the office around 7:30 am, Shane showed up at the Jones home with tissues, magazines, juice, Theraflu, tea, bottles of water, lozenges, and about 10 hours worth of chick-flicks. It was pretty obvious to Dani that Shane had every intention of remaining there until the sun went down! _

_Although Dani could tell what Shane's plan was, she allowed him to enter the home; because he had already texted Mercedes and asked if he could keep her company. Mercedes was obviously lonely; missing Sam, missing her friends, and wanted to talk to another teenager face to face. Rolling her eyes, Danica made sure to move "sick-bed central" down to the den (even though she would have let Sam or Kurt hang out in Mercedes' room), left money for pizza, and made Mercy promise to call Sam at some point during the day. Figuring Tinsley couldn't play the "outta sight/outta mind" card if Mercedes spent the day texting or talking to her boyfriend, Danica left for work. _

_Danica's plan would have worked if Mercedes and Shane had not taken bathroom breaks at the same time. Mercedes used the guest washroom downstairs and gave Shane permission to use the hall bathroom just outside her bedroom. According to what Mary told Danica later, Sam called Mercedes on Skype, and Shane actually entered her bedroom to answered the call. When Sam asked Shane what he was doing in Mercedes' room, Shane informed him that he had come over to keep Mercy company while she got over a cold, and that she was in the bathroom, taking a shower. While Sam sat there shocked, Shane disconnected the call. _

_Danica knew for a fact that Mercedes cursed Shane out for invading her privacy, but at the time that didn't matter very much to Sam. By the time Danica returned home from work, Shane was gone. Sam and Mercedes were fighting over the phone….and Danica heard every word. Mercy cried, asking why Sam didn't trust her, saying over and over how lonely she was without him, pleading with him to understand she __**needed**__ someone to hang out with. Danica heard Sam shouting, convinced that Mercedes enjoyed having a boy chase her around like a puppy. Sam loudly accused Mercedes of disrespecting him, and spending time with someone who was threatening their relationship. _

_Danica almost laughed when the fight got vicious, because some of their words were completely outrageous… Sam accused Mercedes of "inviting Shane over to put Vapo-Rub all over her chest," while Mercedes explained loudly that "she wasn't the one in the relationship who'd recently been offered a position as a gigolo." _

_Bent and Danica chose not to intervene back then, because they didn't want to make the couple's problems worse. The parents figured they could count on love to see their children through this first big fight. Afterward, the elder Joneses wondered for quite some time whether they should have staged a teen-ervention back then. On the one hand, it would be easier for younger couple make up if there were no outside influences confusing matters. But on the other, this fight could potentially start a lot of problems SamCedes couldn't fix via text message. Eventually, Dr. and Mrs. Jones decided that they would simply watch and wait. _

_Both sets of parents talked enough to piece together the gist of what happened over the next few weeks: the kids decided to take a week-long break on the relationship, and revisit the issue of a long distance relationship when they were no longer mad at each other. By the end of that week, Sam had started working late nights and missing Skype dates, while Mercedes was deeply involved in introducing Shane around so he would have friends when school started. Out of anger, the two came to a silent agreement that they would remain apart. _

_Mercedes' loneliness inspired her to accept a date with Shane, who proceeded to take pictures, post them to Face book, and tag her in them. When Sam saw the photos, he decided to attend a party being thrown by Lexington's answer to Cheerios, where he immediately landed prey to the local queen Quinn-Bot. After a few beers, Faux-Quinn proceeded to "borrow" Sam's cell phone, where he was logged into his own Facebook account. The Cheery-Hoe only returned Sam's device after sending herself a relationship request. After she accepted her own request, the phrase "Sam Evans is in a relationship with Cherry Lane" immediately appeared on his wall. When Sam and Mercedes discussed the Facebook developments, neither saw any reason to apologize. After one last argument via Yahoo!Chat, the two decided to part ways once and for all._

**~End Flashback~**

…I know this shitty economy has displaced a lot of people, and broken a lot of families; but, to me, the worst by-product of the recession was seeing my 'Cedes lose Sam and get so sad again. I thought losing Kurt's friendship made her cry. But no longer being Sam-I-Am's lady made my baby straight up Oprah-ugly-cry! She sobbed and sang sad songs and; well, remember on the _Cosby Show _when Sandra and Elvin broke up? Compared to Mercy, that Sandra was damn near giddy. At least Sandra changed out of her pajamas and paced the room.

There were days where Mercy just laid in bed watching _Avatar _over and over and reciting the dialogue like a psychopath. The saddest part of the whole thing was, none of her other friends even came over to comfort her, they assumed she was coping the way she always did.

The only person who showed Mercedes any attention during this time was Shane, and that boy swooped in on Mercy like a big, hairy-lipped, mumble-mouthed vulture. He made sure to always be there to give Mercy these big consoling hugs, bringing her chocolates, and movies they could watch together. He was always suggesting that they go places together to "get her out of the house," his way of making people think they were already together. By the time school started back up in September, he was calling Mercy "baby." I have to admit that motherfucker was smart, he knew exactly what to do to get his foot in the door. Still didn't make her glow though…

Now that Sam and Mercy have worked their issues out and are finally back together again, I don't want them to take any more time than necessary enjoying each other. Cedes can tell I am rooting for them, and I am sure that's why she told me she was planning to become intimate with Sam last summer. When its my turn to talk, I plan to remind them how much of their personal business I am aware of. I know I should have tried to encourage her to wait on sex because of how precarious his home life was, but I couldn't step on her happiness like that. In the end, I know that remembering how close they got last year is what led them back together.

I have to say that I disagree with Bent about the kids waiting on starting their lives together. I remember how hard I had it when Bent was in the Army and I was still here in Lima. I know it would have been hard on me to be away from my family while he worked, and I also know I would have been lonely on base. Still, I would have preferred the loneliness to the desolation I had to live through. While he was learning a trade and being independent for the first time ever, I was living in my mom's home and feeling sorry for myself.

I'm not gonna lie; I had a Shane back then,…a dude trying to get at me on the sly. He was just a friend to me, but I couldn't pretend I didn't like the attention he showed me, especially when I got lonely. Nothing ever came of the almost flirtation, but the temptation could have been avoided had Bent not been so stubborn.

I think Sam and Mercedes two will ultimately be happier and better off if they fight life's battles together. I mean, Sam helped Cedes get her recording contract…he should be there every step of the way while she pursues a career. Mercy loves that boy and she's miserable without him. Bent and Mary need to just give the kids their blessings like Dwight and I want to. I think if those two nay-sayers can spend this summer watching them be happy, they'll come around. At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

* * *

**A/N: I really want to thank all of the readers who left reviews and comments, I really appreciate the support!**


	5. May 25, 2012 Pt 4

**This is the final part of the parental-vention… Mercy's mom finally speaks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever claim ownership of Glee, its characters, or the manner in which those characters are mistreated on television. I would never admit to being responsible for the hot mess my favorite show has become.**

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_**Sam POV: **_

I was actually cool with all of the rules and regulations my mom told us to follow. To be honest, they hadn't asked us to do anything off the wall or unreasonable. The rules were actually very fair. I thought Mercy and I were gonna have to battle with my work schedule again this summer, so it seems like our parents are really giving us a gift.

I love Mercedes with all of my heart, and I know she loves me too. Both of our parents managed to get together and figure out a way for us to get in one last great summer as kids before we get separated again, so I'm pretty grateful.

After Mom said her part it looked like it was Ms. Dani's turn to go, and she turned and looked directly at me before she began talking.

"Sam," Ms. Dani starts, reaching out to hold my hand, "did Cedes ever tell you she asked for my blessing before she made love with you that first time?"

I look over at Mercy and shriek "What?" I was terrified, and **so **glad Dr. Bent was gone. "Ms. Dani, please, I never meant to be disre.."

"Don't worry Sam, I'm not mad at you. And yes, Mercy came right into the kitchen while I washed dishes and asked me if I had a minute to talk.."

_In the kitchen? She started a sex talk in the kitchen? _Now I look across the table at Mercy, who looks as shocked as I feel.

"…Mercy and I came in this dining room and sat in the same two seats you two are sitting in right now…"

I looked down and then looked over at Mercy again, horrified. I had no idea what I was about to say but I opened my mouth to say **something**, when she interrupted me.

"My daughter looked me right in the eye and told me that you were the best thing to ever happen to her. She said that even though you two had only been seeing each other for a few months, she knew she was in love with you and wanted to show you how much…"

_Damn my baby is brave_.

"…Mercy told me that she had so much to accomplish in her life, so much ahead of her; but she couldn't imagine any of it without seeing you somewhere in the picture…"

_I feel the exact same way._

"…then she thanked me for insisting that she get on the birth control shot back when Quinn was living with us. She promised me that she would never disrespect my home by having sex in here without my knowledge; but that she had every intention of sharing her first time with you, and soon…"

_I can hear the words she's saying and I can feel her still holding my hand, but I'm pretty sure I just died of embarrassment… _

"…Cedes then told me she refused to sneak around and keep secrets from me and make me distrust her, so she would be upfront before she ever took that step.."

…_that actually sounds just like my Mercy…_

"…Then she asked me if doing this would hurt her relationship with me. Cedes didn't want me to be disappointed in her, and wanted my blessing before she did it." Ms. Dani started chuckling then. "That girl is too smart for her own good, always thinking ahead. I told her that I could never be disappointed in her for telling the truth, but I wanted to sleep on my answer before I gave her one."

_Yea, Mercy's always one step ahead of everyone else. I still wonder what she's doing with me._

"At first, I was so pissed off at you Sam, I could have spit nails.." She was laughing when she said it, but her words still kind of scared me. "…I was young once, I know how this stuff works. I figured out before I left the dining room that you and Mercy had to have been doing some 'experimenting' and testing the waters…"

_God, please don't let her go where I think she's going with this._

"…to get my little girl horny enough to want my blessing so she could get down with you for real? You two must have been spending a lot of time enjoying some serious foreplay."

_I refuse to look over at Mercy at this point, I don't want Ms. Danica to see me visualizing the foreplay she just described. _

"I went to bed mad as hell, and before I fell asleep I called you every variation of 'pale-faced, tow-headed, big-lipped, green-eyed, chisel-chested, no-shirt wearing, cherry-popping, freaky-deaky motherfucker' I could think of…"

_Wow, I wonder if she told Dr. Benton? Oh, my God I'm gonna die. My mom is just sitting over there laughing her head off, why's she laughing when her first born's life is in danger?_

"…I never told Bent, but when I woke up, I got on the phone and called Mary. I figured I shouldn't be the only parent with this information, plus I wanted her opinion on what I should tell Mercy…"

_SHE TOLD MY MOM! That's even more embarrassing! No wonder she isn't surprised by this..._

"…Interestingly enough, Mary got **really** mad at Mercedes… She told me I was gonna have to watch my daughter, because if I didn't, Mercy was gonna end up a 'busty teenage Black Widow' like that Satan girl…."

I look over at Cedes, and she's grinning at my mom. I'm glad she's not upset by this. I actually think she's a little flattered that my mom thought she was as hot as Santana. Ms. Dani wasn't thru telling me what Mom said though.

"…Then she asked me how in the hell her son was supposed to control his teenage hormones with a 'doe-eyed seductress' all over you like some kinda 'pint-sized Catwoman…'

Now I'm grinning, partly because Mercy really would look good in a Catwoman costume…

"…She said that you, Sam, were a classic comic book dork, and had been in love with Rogue and Storm since you were 9 years old. Mary told me that my daughter was a living, breathing, real life Vixen…"

_My mom knows who Vixen is?_

"…and that there was no way you could even hang out with Mercy platonically, without fantasizing about getting your hands on her."

_Mom's got a point, there…_

"Then she said that she had raised a gentleman, and that you never would never initiate a talk about sex with a girl who was still a virgin under any circumstance…"

_She ain't wrong about that, either..._

"…and that the sex issue had to have been brought up by Cedes. Mary insisted that if Mercedes hadn't been teasing you with her cleavage and grinding her 'thick country booty' into your crotch all summer long, we wouldn't have been having this conversation…"

I catch Mercedes' eye, and now I **know** she's flattered, because she's laughing out loud. She put her arm around my mom and kissed her cheek to let her know she wasn't at all offended by what had been said.

"…Sam, you know your mama couldn't control her mouth right then, so don't get offended on Mercy's behalf. To be honest, her words were so funny I actually calmed the hell down, and told her all the mean stuff I had thought about you the night before..."

_Oh yeah, I forgot about the "freaky-deaky motherfucker" comment._

"…so in the end, Mary and I decided that the two of you were responsible enough to take precautions; and we could both tell that love in your guys' faces was real. If you wanted to express that love physically we wouldn't stop you."

_Wow, should we thank them, or…_

"I'm not just telling you this, Sam, to embarrass you; I do have a point. Mary and I want you to know that we know you guys are going to spend a lot of your time this summer alone and will want to make the most of the time you have left. We aren't gonna try to stop you."

…_awkward, this can't possibly get more awkward._

"Please know, as irresponsible as we are allowing you two to be in every other way, we fully expect you to take every precaution available to you where sex is involved. As I am sure you are aware, Mercy has a birth control implant now, and most likely won't become pregnant…"

…_I spoke too soon._

"…but we still want you to use a back-up method just in case..."

_She can't possibly say anything else, right? _

"…without getting too graphic, I know how tempting it is to raw-dog, especially when you're in a committed relationship. If you're planning on losing the rubbers, consider using spermicide.

_Now she's just fucking with me. _I can tell Mercy thinks so too, she's rolling her eyes and has her arms crossed her chest.

"The point is that we aren't gonna be hypocrite and try to cock-block you when we all were getting down in high school too. Just keep in mind the consequences Mary told you about earlier. Being sexually irresponsible is gonna make us wonder if your relationship is worth saving, so just remember, that, okay?

"Okay," Mercy and I say together.

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_**Mary POV:**_

Lord in heaven above, Dani ought to be ashamed of herself, embarrassing these kids like this. Sitting there holding my son's while letting him know we've known since a year ago what they were doing every time we left the room. That boy of mine is having a fit! His ears are all red, and his hand is twitching while Dani rubs his palm with her thumb. Mercy is giving us the stink-eye because she and her mama already discussed the sexual aspect of her relationship with Sam, so she knows Dani is just trying to embarrass them. I'm just sitting here holding in my laughter, and doing a bad job of it.

I actually could have lived the rest of my days without having this conversation. I'm the mother of a muscular, good-looking teenage boy, so don't think I'm not aware of what those hormones make them want to get into. I remember Sam inviting that Quinn from our church over to watch movies back when they were dating… I liked Quinn, and she was really sweet to Stacie, so at the time I was happy that he had found a nice girl to go out with. I was happy, that is, until I overheard them talking.

I remember walking past the den one day, when Sam and Quinn were sitting close together on the chaise lounge in front of the fireplace in our Lima house. After peek in the room, I was all ready to keep moving down the hall, but I heard the two of them talking about what sounded like "a little something, something." After that, I decided to stay and eavesdrop.

I'm not gonna lie; back then, Sam was definitely trying to get in that girl's pants... He was sitting there all red in the face, trying to talk in his deep 'sexy' voice (which is a lot like the voice his daddy used to get me outta my drawers) and attempting to run his hands over her legs. That girl sat there as icy as a glacier, she didn't have a hair out of place while she batted his hands away. She explained in no certain terms that she had no intention of giving him **ANY '**something, something.'

I peeked in again, and wondered if he realized how much like sister and brother the two of them looked with his hair that color, then I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew right then I didn't have to worry myself about those two getting too close. I found out later on that they broke up when she cheated on him with her first boyfriend she never fell out of love with, and I can't say I was surprised.

That next girlfriend of his, Santana, was exactly the opposite. She was fiery and mean, and **real** grabby. That one couldn't keep her hands off my son, always rubbing her grubby paws over his ab muscles and caressing his thighs; she didn't even seem to care if his parents saw her doing it! She used to look at my son like a hungry person, then kiss him like she was trying to suck his lips off; Santana (I think I heard Mercy call her Satan one time) scared the dog-do out of me and Dwight.

Not only was she moving as fast as a roadrunner, she also seemed to enjoy spending a lot of time insulting everyone she ever met. I know for a fact heard her call Sam both "Trouty Mouth" and "Guppy Face" in between those hungry kisses. She referred to me and Stacie as Carol and Cindy (Brady?) all the time, and if that hood-rat fixes her mouth to call my twins the "children of the corn" just one more time, I'm gonna have to show Little Miss Lima Heights Adjacent a thing or two about cat fighting. Thank the Lord, the day Dwight and I walked in on Sam with his hand up Satan's skirt was the same day we told him about our financial situation. He started working that same week, and he never brought her over again.

I know I'm not supposed to try and pick out a girlfriend for my little boy, that I'm supposed to trust his judgment…but that Mercy is every mama's dream. She totally sees how special my little boy is, and all she wants is for him to stay exactly like he is. Not one time did she try to change him, unlike those other two. Heck, Sam tried to change _himself_ for McKinley High School; he didn't get his head on straight until he found his Mercy.

She was the first person in Lima to say hello to me with a hug and not a handshake, just like my friends in Tennessee. When she sings you feel like angels are calling your name; I love how being around Mercy makes **me** feel, so I understand how easy it was for Sam to get caught up in her. I guess that's why I'm not adding anything to this conversation about their sex life. As long as they stay safe, I _really _don't wanna know about it… and neither do the daddies, that's why they left the room.

Another reason we asked the men to get lost for this part is because, Dani and I realize that all four of us parents have good reasons for wanting the kids to enjoy their summer. And we know that the daddies' reasons are very different from ours. Dwight and Bent want to reward SamCedes for growing up so much last summer, and yes, we mamas see why they feel that way.

The difference is that we mamas don't think they need a reward, because we know Sam and Mercy had the time of their lives last year. They fell in love; and neither Dani nor I think that they regret one second that they spent working, babysitting, or going on all those "free" dates. That's why we insist on having them do something productive every week.

No, we mamas want to see the kids have fun this year because we remember how bad being apart made SamCedes feel. Dani and I talked it over, and neither of us ever want to see the pain we saw in those babies' faces when they said goodbye. I, for sure, don't ever again want to see Sam as dejected and hurt as he was back in Kentucky….

**~Flashback~**

_Not long after the Evans clan settled in the home they were renting in Lexington, Sam mentioned getting a job to help out. Mary and Dwight had already agreed to discuss this with Sam, and told him he would __**not**__ be supporting their family any more. Dwight was making enough on a working construction crew to cover bills and utilities. Mary had just gotten a job in a call center taking customer service calls for a cable company which would pay for food and buy gas. They agreed that the time had come for Sam to start living like a teenager again, and they informed him that he could work no more than 15 hours a week to pay for the equipment and fees necessary for him to play sports again. _

_When they mentioned football, Mary saw a look of pain cross Sam's face, and he muttered something about being happier working, than when he played ball. Mary knew enough about her son to know that he was telling the truth about being happier, but she suspected his happiness had more to do with the company he was keeping, rather than what he was doing._

_Mary remembered how excited Sam was before his first day at WMHS; how he had lightened his hair to look "cool" and how he planned to wear his letterman jacket from his old school to show people he was a jock. He came home the first day talking about how great it was; he told his mom about how the Glee club took over the quad at lunch time, performing for the school. Sam was downright giddy as he recounted to his mom how the team quarterback, Finn, had come up to him afterward and asked him to come to the Glee Club's choir room. Sam was so excited when he talked about how much fun it was to sing with the Glee guys (who were all on the team, and really great to hang with) and how he was Going to audition later that week. _

_Mary also remembered how, a few days later, Sam was given the quarterback position over Finn and he came home so excited. He babbled on and on about how everyone at McKinley respected the football team, and that he was gonna have a Cheerio girlfriend soon to walk the halls with. Listening to Sam, Mary could tell he was convinced all of this would make him happy. When asked about his Glee audition, Sam informed her it was lamest club at school, so he wouldn't be joining, because he didn't want to jeopardize his chances at popularity. _

_Mary was disappointed but said nothing to her son about making poor choices; seeking popularity wasn't a crime, and she wanted him to fit in and be comfortable too. Not too long after that, Sam got hurt on the field and admitted he hadn't made many friends on the football team because most of them were big bullies. He liked the Glee guys, especially Mike, so he decided to join New Directions with his new friends after all. Sam explained that he would exercise and get back into fighting shape so he could get off the bench super fast._

_One day, Sam came home with red stains on his Captain America T-shirt and declared that the key to popularity was going to be dating the head cheerleader while winning on the football field. He said he had a plan for getting Quinn to be his girlfriend and Mary didn't ask what the plan was, she only prayed that her son would not get hurt. When Quinn finally gave in and accepted his girlfriend proposal, Mary hoped Sam would finally get a chance to be happy. _

_As it turned out, Sam's happiness was short-lived. Mary, although happy to see that Quinn was no longer a factor, hated seeing her son so angry. She also figured he had rebounded out of spite; as soon as Sam found out about Quinn's cheating, he latched himself onto Santana Lopez. Apparently, "Satan" spent the majority of their time together alternately kissing Sam and insulting him. _

_By the time Sam told his mother about Santana's 'Trouty Mouth' song, it was plain to Mary that her son's relationships were making him everything but happy. Sam had such a big heart, and couldn't understand why his girlfriends were causing him so much pain. The best thing about losing the family home was that it gave Sam some much needed perspective; he didn't seem to care __**at all **__when Santana found another boyfriend._

_After finding a job at the local 'Dairy Queen' in Lexington, Sam resumed adding his wages to the family budget. He worked about 5 hours every Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, and late into the evening Friday and Saturday nights (barely making his curfew sometimes). He never worked more than 20 hours in any given week, but sometimes he made more than his mom did working 40. _

_Mary was no idiot; she knew that whatever her son was doing late at night had nothing to do with the making of _Blizzards _and she told him so. Sam never could lie to his mom, so he simply begged her not to ask him for any specifics. After he promised never to do anything dangerous or life-threatening, Mary decided to honor his wishes and drop the subject. _

_Sam being able to buy the twins a new computer, paying for cell phone service for he and his parents, and upgrading their cable package to finally include wi-fi again was great, but Mary and Dwight could both tell Sam wasn't happy in Lexington. The entire family tried hard to encourage Sam; asking him to play his guitar after dinner, and begging him to perform his impressions. He did everything they asked, but whenever anyone mentioned Sam trying out for the football team at his new school, an empty look washed across his face. _

_Mary, without asking, could see and comprehend that somehow Sam saw his time on the McKinley football team as time wasted dating the wrong girls while ultimately being unhappy. Conversely, Mary also understood that the time Sam spent being Mercedes' boyfriend, while working to support his family in Lima, was a much happier point in his life. Therefore, while in Lexington, Sam chose working over playing._

**~End Flashback~**

…Now Dani is telling the kids what will happen if they abuse their privileges and I have to say, I don't see anything happening between the two of them to make us stop trusting them. Even knowing what I know about their sex life, I do trust Sam and Mercy... They're good kids. One day not too far away they will be old enough and wise enough to make their own decisions, but until that day gets here I am right there with Bent on wanting the kids to take it slow.

Dwight and I have had a great life, even when we struggled we obviously struggled together and that alone made our bad times better. But I also know a large factor in our struggle was the fact that we were impatient. If Dwight and I had graduated from high school together and gone off to college and lived in separate dorms like my mama wanted, things might have ended up a lot different.

We still would have graduated at the same time, and I know we still would have gotten married right away, but we would have had more options…. It had always been my goal to get my degree in English Literature, then go on to Law School. My grades were perfect, and I took the LSAT early on enough to know I would have gotten into a good school with a little more practice.

Dwight and I didn't listen when people said we had no reason to get married right after high school. We were in love and wanted to get hitched right then, so we did. We got pregnant with Sam right before my last year of college.

That's how I know that sure as anything, teen marriage will lead to a baby faster than you can say "oh, just do it already!" We might have been college kids, but we were still just kids, and that's how kids think. I don't regret having Sam, especially when I considered how much his smile helped our family through the dark times; I just wish we had given ourselves a few more years before welcoming him to the fold.

I should have been a practicing lawyer, I should have saved money every year I practiced. When Dwight got promoted, our retirement should have been fully funded. When he got laid off, I should have been able to do more than take substitute teaching gigs and day shifts in a tire plant.

If Sam and Mercy will just wait until they are both established in their careers, then they won't be forced to make decisions based on necessity. I want my future daughter-in-law to have her Grammy before they give me any grandbabies! Letting them spend the whole summer together being carefree will give these two a taste of what they lost last year. I say, give SamCedes a little bit of freedom and they won't be in any hurry to lose it; so I hope this is the best summer of their lives!

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**A/N: My next chapter is going to get decidedly more steamy... I hope I can do the sexy writing well enough to entertain you guys!**


	6. Summer of Love

**A/N: This chapter describes the one day Samcedes set aside for couple time each week during the summer of 2011. In my head, Wednesday nights started out innocently enough, but got steamier and steamier as summer progressed. Here's the Wednesday that changed it all..**

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_Most couples, young or old, develop traditions and habits early on in the relationship; and it makes perfect sense. Setting aside a specific time for one's love life is the best way to allow consistency to grow amidst the constant chaos of daily life. Middle school kids make sure to pass love notes to their boy- or girl-friend between the same classes daily. High school couples sit together at pep rallies and share lockers. Young married couples set aside the same day each week for "date night." Their older counterparts run errands together religiously. In Lima, most of the teenagers in love spent Friday nights at Breadstixx, or had a steady Saturday night bowling date. Sam Evans and Mercedes were no different. _

_One habit Sam and Mercedes quickly fell into after deciding to date was a Wednesday night living room picnic. Wednesday was the evening set aside for Bible Study at Sam's church, and Quinn regularly took Stacie and Stevie. The children loved reading the colorfully illustrated readers full of Bible stories, and looked forward to the refreshments that followed. Stevie and Stacie were allowed to go home with Quinn afterward on these evenings for a sleepover, something Quinn really enjoyed. _

_Wednesday was also the day Mr. and Mrs. Evans set aside for out-of-town work searches. Because Dwight received his unemployment benefits on Wednesdays, he and Mary could spare the funds to take longer trips. With Quinn watching the twins, Mary and Dwight were free to go further to find work, sometimes traveling across two states. The two would keep interviews for jobs that they had applied for online, and meet friends of friends with leads on possible job openings. Many nights Mary and Dwight came home well after midnight, crawling into bed exhausted from driving._

_While his siblings attended church and his parents job hunted, Sam generally got off work at the pizza parlor between 5-6 pm. His boss knew he needed at least one short day a week for rest, and also knew Sam made more in tips on the weekends. After returning to the motel room and showering, Sam would call Mercedes, who would come over for a visit. The couple never lied to their parents or pretended that they would be supervised on these nights, and the elder Joneses and Evanses trusted the two, as long as Mercedes was home before her 12 o'clock curfew. _

_Most evenings began with arriving carrying a meal she had prepared for their date. They would sit on the couch in the corner of the room while eating and watching a movie. After dinner was gone and Mercedes' picnic basket was repacked, the couple would talk, make plans for the coming weekend, and kiss while the movie played silently. At 11:30, Mercedes' phone alarm would ring, and she and Sam would separate so she could return home. _

_Most of the time, Mercedes and Sam's relationship was downright domestic. They spent so much time having conversations about "picking up the kids," "being on time for work," and "getting laundry done," that anyone meeting them for the first time might mistake them for a married couple! Wednesday nights were the one time Sam and Mercedes could forego all of their responsibilities and act like teenagers. It was great to spend time together without having to feed or entertain the kids, and opportunities to get close were very few and far between. Both teens looked forward to the innocent necking all week. On the second Wednesday in June though, things got decidedly less innocent._

_Sam would always blame _Avatar_ for the sexy turn he and Mercedes' time together started to take. Prior to this night, they had never watched the extended version of Sam's favorite movie together. Sam sat with his back against the headboard of his parents' bed, with Mercedes snuggled into his side. Mercedes had been trailing one lone finger along Sam's thigh for several minutes, while Sam periodically snuck kisses to the her temple._

_This playful touching became less so, when the infamous Na'vi mating scene started. This particular part of the film was notoriously sexy, and had a profound effect on the couple. When Jake and Neytiri kissed, Sam and Mercedes drifted into a kiss themselves. When Jake and Neytiri kneeled to the ground, Mercedes and Sam reclined fully on the bed. Eventually, the Na'vi couple intertwined their tails, joining nervous systems in the ultimate bond. At that point, the movie was forgotten and Mercedes and Sam became deeply involved in kissing and caressing one another. _

_The fact that Mercedes was horizontal in the Evans motel room with Sam on top of her should have made the couple extremely uncomfortable, because they had never crossed this line before. The awkwardness they should have felt though, never materialized, so they continued the intense make-out session, neither wanting to stop. _

_The two might have kissed this way until Mercedes' alarm rang, had not two things happened. First, Mercedes stopped kissing Sam's lips and started to suck lightly on his neck, which caused the boy to lose his ability to hover above her at a safe distance. He instinctively ground his hips into Mercedes' hips, causing her to feel his erection for the first time. Second, Sam felt Mercedes' hands crawl to the hem of his green henley tee, and caress his toned stomach. Without thinking, Sam allowed his own hands to trail Mercedes' side, eventually coming around to cup her breasts through her clothes. _

_The sensations they were giving each other were really enjoyable; Mercedes moaned every time Sam's hands made contact with a nipple, and Sam's breath became more constricted each time he pumped his hips. It wasn't until it occurred to both teens that Sam had now reached second base, and was basically dry-humping his girlfriend on the couch, that the two decided things had gone too far. Both sat up, and straightened their clothes. Neither said a word, but pecked each other on the lips goodbye. _


	7. It's a Samcedes Party!

**A/N: This chapter begins the week of June 1, 2012. Sam and Mercedes decide to start their summer of love with a bang!**

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever claim ownership of Glee, its characters, or the manner in which those characters are mistreated on television. I would never admit to being responsible for the hot mess my favorite show has become.**

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_**Mercedes POV: **_

After the big intervention, Sam and I spent the next 5 days under one roof trying to get as much time in with his parents and siblings as possible. We had a blast catching up, and both my parents took the week off so they could enjoy it too. My mom and Mrs. Mary went to the spa and worked out together, went shopping, and cooked every meal as a team. Our dads played golf, worked on this old-ass car my daddy bought (which Burt Hummel helped with), played basketball with Antwaun Berry, and watched every sport they could find on ESPN.

Most of the time, I took the rare opportunity to play to big sister to Stacie. I always hated not having a sibling to do girly stuff with, so I really took advantage when I had the chance. We shared a room, played with dolls, and had fake beauty pageants. Quinn came over a few times to watch Disney Princess movies, make caramel popcorn, and eat Red Velvet Cake ice cream. We went to the park to swing, slide, and run around. By the time Thursday came around I was begging Ms. Mary to leave Stacie here for the summer, too.

While Stacie and I bonded, Sam and Stevie were hanging out with Mike and his little cousin Ray. They rode my brothers' old bikes to the playground and had races. Sam and Mike tried to convince the little boys that they had pro football in their futures. They also had marathon gaming sessions, and went swimming every day. Sam made sure to get in enough bro time to last the rest of the summer.

Sam and I also spent the week making plans and preparing for our summer. We knew that we would have to follow the adults' instructions to the letter if we wanted our freedom, so we decided to get cracking. I knew our folks would not hesitate to verify whether we were spending the required 10 hours a week doing what we promised, so I used my computer to make a calendar so we could schedule our tasks out. We decided that the best way to keep from being bored was to switch tasks often, so we figured out a way to work, volunteer, and do our individual projects each week.

Sam and I researched online job opportunities, and finally decided on a company hiring paid ad posters. After paying for the software online, all you have to do is log on and post ads to Facebook, Google, and Twitter. The company pays commissions each time somebody clicks on your ad. Sam paid the $10 fee, we downloaded the necessary software, then we each logged our first 3 hours of work. The time went by pretty fast, because you could surf the Web in between postings.

We also made appointments to meet with an HR rep from Salvation Army. Sam wanted us to volunteer officially, so we could provide documentation to our parents, which meant we had to apply and interview just like a paid job. After that, Sam sat on his bed with his guitar, and I spent some time reading over my syllabus for the lyric writing class I registered for this fall.

After we updated the Windows-based calendar I made, Sam suggested we throw a summer kick off party this weekend. I agreed it would be fun, so we planned it for Friday, and even got the parents on board to make it a sleepover. Sam and I figured we had a lot of things to celebrate, and we could do it all at once.

We could congratulate Joe, whose mom finally agreed to let him attend McKinley next year. Joe had been sharing some very interesting factoids about his new friends in public school, and his parents were threatening to pull him our of public school in the fall. They only changed their minds after receiving several impassioned requests from his friends. Also, Unique/Wade had moved into his uncle's home because he wanted to live in the WMHS school district. She/He would be joining New Directions while escaping Jesse St. Dick. Plus we all wanted to get together and celebrate our Nationals win some more.

We had some not-so-happy news to commemorate as well. Finn would be the first Glee kid to leave, departing the first of August, so we wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. Rory would also be leaving, going back home to Ireland after spending 8 long months away from his family. Another not-so-happy thing, was the Evans' departure on Saturday afternoon. The barbeque would start Friday at 5 pm and the Glee kids would all sleep over in my game room. Stevie and Stacie would bunk with us as chaperones, then the next morning Sam and I would drive his family back to the airport.

I had already made up my mind to get my weave removed and my hair deep conditioned before the party. Sam and I would be leaving next week for Grand Lake St. Mary State Park with Mike and Tina. Mike and Sam chipped in and rented a cabin in the woods overnight; they wanted to take us swimming, fishing, and hiking…ending the trip with a night camping under the stars.

It sounded fun (in a rustic kind of way), but weave maintenance requires a steady influx of electric heat styling tools, hair products, and protective measures. By rocking my 'fro, I will only need to bring shampoo, conditioner, a comb, and a scarf. So I made an appointment for the day before the party.

After leaving the salon, I got a text from my mom, asking me to pick up last minute party supplies from Wal-Mart. She had sent Sam to meet me and do the heavy lifting, so the big reveal would be happening sooner than I thought. When he met me in the parking lot I saw his jaw drop, and giggled, because I had to admit my do was pretty majestic!

"Damn, Baby!" he kissed me, then held me at arms' length to look me over again.

Like I said, my 'fro is pretty magnificent… My hair is really long; partly because I don't abuse it with heat and chemicals, partly because it doesn't suffer any wear and tear via daily combing and brushing. Even in its natural curly state, it falls way below my shoulders in back and totally frames my whole face in front. My real hair is a little lighter than my weave, almost a medium brown color, and it really does look good against my skin. Plus curly hair makes my eyes look bigger.

My curls aren't kinky either, just tight. If I wanted to rock a Pam Grier style fro, I would have to wash my hair and set it on really small rods, because my hair texture is what people call "good hair." Sam told me once he loved Pam Grier.

"You look hot!" he exclaimed.

"Thanks, boo, you too!"

"Tell me again why you wear your hair straight during the school year?"

"Because I have to be uniform for Glee, silly, every girl in New Directions has straight hair. Judges look for that kind of thing."

"What about Puck's Mohawk, and Joe's dreads? They aren't uniform, either."

"They can get away with it, but you know Shuester…I couldn't afford to look any more different from the other girls than I already do. My natural would have been all the excuse he needed to keep my ass from going onstage at all!"

"Couldn't you just straighten your real hair, then?" He looks puzzled. "Your hair looks longer than my mom's."

"It is, but if I process it or heat straighten it, then it won't be as healthy. It might even break off and not grow back as long."

"Well, they should have been changing to look like you; not the other way around!"

_He's so sweet…_

* * *

June 1, 2012

The next day, when guests started to arrive I was in the kitchen, helping my mom. Afterward, I made my way into the backyard and went over to where Tina, Rachel, Blaine and Kurt were gossiping. I hugged everybody and spent a little time catching up.

Summer hadn't even started yet for real, and already they had dirt. Apparently, since Nationals, Artie's been sexing Brittana down on the regular. Tina was tripping out because Artie messed around and told someone he had two girlfriends, and Satan went the fuck off!

Tina, Blaine and Kurt were all eyewitnesses because Santana told him about himself when they all went bowling. Satan basically told Artie that she and Britt were "throwing him a massive bone," and that he was only allowed to _partake _because Britt was missing dick. Satan let him know, in no uncertain terms, that he was only going to be a factor until Santana left for Kentucky, and that he should be happy they were even letting him pay for all their 3-way dates.

Tina felt bad for Artie, Blaine and Kurt applauded the thruple for embarking on such a non-traditional relationship, and Rachel kept shooting judgmental looks over at the three of them. Now I remember why Sam and I kept our 'ship a secret last year.

Shaking my head, I left them and went to hug Finn, Joe and Mike over by the refreshment table. Finally, I spotted Unique, Puck, Artie, Brittany and Santana talking to Sam. I walked up to him and slung my arms around his waist. When he reached out to run his fingers through the hairs on the nape of my neck, Satan immediately started running her mouth.

"Hey Trouty, didn't anyone ever tell you that touching a black woman's hair will get you cut?" Sometimes I hate that San's dad is Panamanian, and that she spent the first 10 years of her life in a chair getting burned by a hot comb. It means she knows too much about Black culture and can use it for evil.

"So what, since Wheezy is letting you all up in her draws, you think you get a ghetto pass or something? Making my girl hit high notes ain't the same as being a honorary brotha!"

Now I'm giving her my best side eye and she shoots me a wicked look. "Even though, from what I remember, you could show a few 'brothas' at that school a thing or two about packing…"

As usual, when Satan gets evil, Brittany diffuses the situation ASAP. "Hey, Mercedes, your hair is so pretty. You look like an angel who finally found their halo."

_Huh?_

"Girl, listen closely to Unique, because she does not lie when it comes to the things in this world that are fierce, nor does she repeat herself!"

_She does, apparently, refer to herself in the third person._

"Your 'do is hot like fire and beautiful to behold!"

_Jesus take the wheel! _

"Why are you still hiding your light under all that horse tail?"

"Preach!" Artie chimed in. You better let yo' inner Foxy Brown out, girl."

_Oh, hell, he got his 'gonna school you' face on._

"…I for, one, find it shameful that you insist on continuing to allow European standards of beauty guide your style choices. Mother Africa bleeds every time a beautiful sista raises a hand to damage her crown and glory…You needs to let Mother Africa heal!"

"I have no clue what Madea and Slim Shady over there are talking about, but you do look fine, Mama" declared Puck. He came over and hugged me in hello.

"Hands off Puckerman!" Sam broke in. "I told you your 'fro was a thing of beauty" he finished, pulling me closer.

"Okay, I'm gonna address you one at a time and in order so listen up closely." I began. "Satan…" I pointed at her "…you need to stop being so messy. You know damn well Quinn and I washed each other's hair every weekend when she lived here, and you've seen Brit braid my hair into pigtails every summer since we got cool. Sam is my boo-ski, which means he can put his hands anywhere he likes, including my head."

_That ought to shut her ass up_. I see Sam blushing and Puck offering him a fist pound, but I keep going.

"Brit, you know I love you for your sweet words, but please believe I'm nobody's angel… as a matter of fact, the only angelic person I can see out here is you, for having the patience to put up with Satan over there" I shoot Santana another glare and move on.

"Unique, you are my protégé; which means you, above all others, know that I'm gonna be fierce and hot like fire regardless of my do."

She raises a hand to Jesus but I keep going.

"And I know you saw _Good Hair _so you are damn well aware that my extensions came from a female indentured servant in Asia. I am **too fly **to rock horse hair." She flips her wig and gives me a sista-dap.

"Artie, my blue eyed soul brother; while I appreciate the irony of your outrage at me assimilating with the white people around me, I'm going to ask that you stop reading Toni Morrison novels. Every time you finish one you get a little racist against your own. Plus, nobody likes us when we're all militant and angry. Save your pissed-offitude for when you get into Howard or Morehouse, okay?" He laughed and nodded.

"Puck, trust me, they're all pretty much just talking to hear themselves talk…but I appreciate the compliment."

"As for you, Sam-I-Am, thank you too!" I finished, kissing him deeply.

As we walked away from the group to speak to Quinn and Sugar, I heard Puck, Artie, and Brit all ask "Hey, where's my kiss?"

* * *

_**Sam POV: **_

_June 1, 2012**  
**_

Mercy and I had a ball at the going away/welcome back/summer kick off party. We all ate and talked for hours, then we Glee kids pulled out the karaoke machine and the grown ups laughed while we hammed it up. Artie sang that _Climax_ song by Usher, casting hurt looks over at Britt and Satan the whole time. Unique sang a song I didn't recognize, but my mom informed me was _Can We Talk_? by Tevin Campbell. By the end of the song, Mercy and Artie were fake-crying and praising Jesus. Rachel was back from New York, all registered for NYADA, and got up to sing that Barbara Striesand song she choked her audition with, I guess she wanted to prove she could still do it.

Kurt and Blaine sang _Picture_ by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow, and they killed it. Of course Kurt did the Sheryl Crow part. Finn and Puck kicked ass, playing their instruments and singing _Wanted Dead or Alive _by Bon Jovi with Tina and Britt chiming in on the background vocals. Rory dedicated Van Morrison's _Brown Eyed Girl _to Mercy, which I may or may not have to kick his ass for later. Santana channeled Amy Winehouse, and sang _You Know I'm No Good_ while Mike did some kind of intricate twirling and thrusting behind her. Joe and Quinn completely rocked _God Only Knows_, the Mandy Moore version from the _Saved_ soundtrack, and it sounded way better than the original.

Then Rachel tried to take over the karaoke machine so she could headline some song from _Annie_ with Kurt and Tina backing her…but Mercy wasn't having it. My baby told Rachel she wasn't going to steal the spotlight from Mercy in her own house, and that she needed to stay in her lane. Then Mercy pulled her TroubleTones sisters onstage to do an En Vogue song. Who knew Sugar could carry a tune now? Then 'Cedes stayed put, and called me up so we could finally perform _Human Nature _for the club. They were all pretty shocked, I guess they thought I could only pull off MJ if I sang the soulless New Directions version.

Then the grown ups took their turns, and we kids laughed **our** asses off. I gotta say though, My dad and Mercy's mom **really** sounded great when they sang that song _Easy_ by Rascal Flatts together. I guess I should have figured Ms. Danica could sing country, since Mercy can sing anything under the sun, but I was totally shocked. And I always knew my mom loved late '90's R&B but I wasn't expecting her and Mercy's dad to perform Keith Sweat's _Get Up On It_. It was actually a little too much information for me.

Unique's uncle and Mercy's brothers rapped to _Back That Ass Up, _Rachel's dads sang _Wind Beneath My Wings_, and Santana's mom sang_ I Could Fall In Love _by Selena. Blaine's mom and Puck's mom are really good friends since we all helped him study for his geography test, and they both love country music. They sang _Goodbye Earl _by the Dixie Chicks, even though neither one of them can hold a tune. The rest of the parents just watched and clapped. Everyone milled around, eating and talking. It really felt great hang out with our families.

After karaoke we teens all holed up in Mercy-Mine's game room with Stevie and Stacie, playing video games, pool, and ping pong. My little siblings didn't narc on us when the couples got a little PDA-ish, and we rewarded them by keeping the smooches mostly clean, and letting them stay up all night with us. There was a little bit of drama between Kurt and Mercy, which I won't go into just yet, but when he and Rachel left in a huff, the rest of us just kept the party going until it was time for bed.

As I lay there in my sleeping bag next to Mercy, I couldn't sleep; so I finally gave a little bit of thought to the intervention we had a little earlier this week. I thought about how self-conscious I felt when Mercy's mom started talking about us "experimenting." The fact is, Mercy and I were doing some heavy duty "playing" the whole month before we ever went all the way. That first Wednesday when things went a little too far, and we shocked ourselves, was just the tip of the iceberg. I'll never forget the next day, when Mercy invited me over to talk about what had happened…

**~Flashback~**

June 9, 2011**  
**

_That Thursday, I didn't have to go into work until 7 pm, so Mercy invited me over to discuss the sexual aspect of our relationship over lunch. We grilled chicken breasts and made a corn salsa and Mexican rice for wraps together, then took it all outside, with bottles of water to eat at the patio table._

"_Sammy, do you want me to go first?" I guess she could tell how ashamed I was for humping her leg like a dog._

"_I want you to know that I don't regret what we did yesterday. I had fun and every thing we did felt amazing to me."_

"_Mercy, you aren't even ready to be my girlfriend yet. We should be taking it slow." I answered her._

"_Why?" she asked. "I love you."_

"_I love you too, which is why getting carried away like that is disrespectful" I explained. _

"_Says who?"_

"_Says society!" I shot back. "Mercy, boys say stuff about girls who mess around with them before they get serious. Playing like that is for girls you don't respect, not girls you love!"_

_Mercedes countered with, "I think it makes a lot of sense to "play around" with each other before we make it official. I mean, at least we wont be experimenting because 'that's what couples do' or whatever. We'd be doing it because we want to, not to satisfy some time line." I could tell she was getting frustrated. "Let me ask you this… Did you want to touch me just so you could brag about it?"_

"_Hell No!" I was kind of offended that she would ask me that, even though that was exactly the point she was trying to make. "I wanted to touch you because putting my hands on you makes me feel close to you, and even though you were already right there, I wanted to feel closer." _

"_Exactly, same here! So lets be honest, why was yesterday so awkward? Why couldn't you look at me last night?"_

"_Mercy, you know why…"_

"_You were embarrassed that you got hard while we were kissing, right?"_

"_Yeah, I don't want you looking at me like I'm Finn or JBI! I'm supposed to keep myself under control better than that!" _I don't think she understands. _"I should be able to make out with my girl without getting all excited every time." _

"_If it makes you feel any better, I was embarrassed at how horny I was too. I heard myself moaning and couldn't stop myself, your hands felt so good on me!" _

Okay, that makes me feel better.

"_It's extra embarrassing for me because everyone expects teenage boys to be all turned on all the time. I'm a girl…I should be better than that!" Then she lowered her head and looked around before adding, "But all I could think about while driving home was how I wished I had worn a skirt, and that I could have gotten your shirt off before we pumped the brakes!"_

"_Well, you're a girl with an ab-ulous non-boyfriend to drool over, so I'd say you get a pass on horny behavior," I chuckled. "Besides, I had the same 'wish you wore a skirt' moment…"_

"_Really?" she asked._

"…_Of course, plus I've been listening to the Glee boys talk about your chest for a year, and I couldn't believe you let me touch 'em! I spent the whole night dreaming about tits haven't even seen yet!" _

Stupid word vomit…

"_Quit playing, Sam!" Mercy blushed. "…its hard enough for me to talk to you about this in an abstract way, but now you're getting all specific and its making me nervous!" _

"_So where does this leave us, if we're both feeling the sexual frustration, and want to explore it, but cant talk about it?"_

"_I don't know, but I'll figure something out!"_

_**~End Flashback~**_

…I don't think I had ever been more embarrassed than I had the day we watched _Avatar_. It was worse than getting cheated on, being in the Muckraker, or publicly dumped. Last year, I was always finding myself in awkward social situations, and I always came out of them feeling like crap. Like whenever Quinn would put her hands over my mouth to quiet my funny voices or Santana would insult me in front of people for doing something dorky. It was pretty obvious that those two never thought I was enough for them, and they made sure I knew it.

In some ways, I get why Quinn and Tana were so serious about keeping their reps intact. I mean, I wanted to be popular too. And slushies hurt, so understand why they would want to fight to hold onto their status at school. I even understand why Quinn and Santana wanted to stifle me a little. I do know a lot of dorky stuff, and I don't really have a filter between my brain and my mouth. It probably irked the hell out of Quinn when I randomly referenced a Star Wars movie when she was going on and on about Homecoming. And Satan pretty much kissed me to shut me up every time we were together.

With Mercy, though, I get to let my goofy side out, hell, she loves my goofy side. She used to be a Cheerio too, but didn't want being popular to change who she was. She even dumped Puck for trying to "restore world order." Mercy understands that its not my fault I didn't go to school with any girls from fifth grade up to when I got to McKinley, so I never developed any game. To Mercy, "game" is just another way of saying "fake," and she prefers me to be myself.

Since I've been with Mercy, I think about this stuff a lot. I'm so comfortable in my own skin when I'm with her. I can let my Southern accent out, because she thinks its sexy. I don't need super-light hair, since she's not looking for a Ken doll. She never once tried to stop my impressions like Tana, or suggest what I should wear to school like Quinn used to do.

Santana and Quinn never hesitated to inform me when I do something awkward, but not Mercy. What happened on _Avatar _night was the perfect example. Instead of letting me feel embarrassed and horrible for taking advantage, she made sure I could talk to her about it straight out. She even made sure to let me know she felt the same way. That's why I love that girl. Hell, it's why I fought so hard to get her back this year.

This was my last thought before finally going to sleep. The next day, Mercy and I dropped my family off at the airport, cleaned up the house, then I went back to my room at the Hudmels.

* * *

**A/N: I hoped you guys liked it, the next chapter will be a little hotter, and I hope you guys like it!**


	8. Into the Woods

**A/N: This chapter will describe the weekend Samcedes spends with Mike and Tina at Grand St. Mary's State Park. Sam and Mercedes will each spend a little time reminiscing about Wednesdays past.**

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever claim ownership of Glee, its characters, or the manner in which those characters are mistreated on television. I would never admit to being responsible for the hot mess my favorite show has become.**

* * *

_**Mercedes POV**_

June 14, 2012

It's Thursday morning, and Tina and I are grocery shopping before we leave with our boyfriends on vacation this afternoon. Mike and Sam rented this cabin on the grounds of Grand Lake St. Mary's State Park, about 40 minutes Southwest of Lima. We're going to spend tonight in the cabin, hang out on the grounds tomorrow, then camp under the stars before we leave Saturday morning.

Tina and I decided we didn't care how rustic or rough the next two days were, so long as we had good food to eat while out there, so we're picking up some snacks for the road trip and stuff to cook while we're camping out. Sam and Mike are loading my dad's Tahoe with the coolers, tents, sleeping bags, and camping gear; we plan to meet up at Mike's house and leave from there.

Tina and Mike had a fit laughing when Sam and I told them about the talk our 'rents had with us 3 weeks ago. They pretty much had the same conversation with Mike's parents not too long ago. It seems like all the parental figures got together and decided we could all run wild after graduation. Tike didn't even have to beg for permission to take this two-day trip.

While we shopped, Tina and I decided we should take advantage of the lax parenting and see if we could get Puck's friend to get us a bottle of tequila for the trip. I texted him, and all systems were a go. On the way to Puck's, Tina and I got to talking about the future.

"'Cedes, do you think the distance thing will break you and Sam up again this year?"

"Girl, you know our main problem last year wasn't distance...it was miscommunication. He was frustrated and overworked, I was lonely and sad. We took all that shit out on each other instead of talking it out."

"Do you think Mike and I can survive the distance?"

"It'll be a lot of work, and you can't get caught up in comparing your relationship to when you saw each other every day. But I'm sure you can work it out if you both really want to."

"Was Shane a factor when you two broke up?"

"Yes and no. I honestly didn't think the guy had any feelings for me, so I pretty much accused Sam of unnecessary jealousy every time his name came up; that didn't help matters at all." I pondered. "Shane _did_ take advantage of my loneliness, too. But Sam and I breaking up had more to do with both of us wanting to be right...I _still_ owe him an apology for all those times I called him crazy for wanting to deck Shane."

"If Mike finds some college girl who shares his interests or I make friends with some guy who preys on my loneliness next year, what should we do to avoid a breakup?"

"Well, you can both promise to talk about this stuff without arguing. If he gets jealous of a Shane-type, don't get belligerent...just try to see his point. If he starts missing Skype dates just talk it out."

After we got the tequila from Puck, we made our way to Mike's house. Then we double-checked all our stuff, and we took off.

We eventually checked into our cabin and Sam and Mike decided the perfect way to spend the afternoon was to go for a swim. We packed a lunch of sandwiches, chips, and fresh fruit and put several bottles of water in a cooler, then hiked to the lake. We really had a ball together.

Sam and Mike are both clowns, so they spent a lot of time trying to dunk us underwater and grab our ankles while we swam. Mike brought a beach ball, and we played a game of water-volley in the shallow end. Then we reenacted Sam's _We Found Love _proposal routine, giggling the whole time.

Around 5 o'clock our long day started to catch up with us so we decided to hang out in the cabin for the rest of the night. We walked back through the woods, and unpacked all our swim gear. Since there were two half-baths each couple was able to shower at the same time. Then we all made a stir-fry (Mike's favorite), tofu burgers (Tina's favorite), fried chicken and tots. For desert we had Banana Pudding ice cream, and decided to watch a few movies and TV shows Tina had downloaded onto her laptop.

When everyone met up in the living room, Tina and I brought out our bottle of tequila to surprise the boys. As it turns out, they had brought a 12 pack of Heineken and a 6-pack if Zima to surprise us.

The four of us totally have a great time whenever we drink together. Without Santana there crying, or Britt making it rain, or Quinn cussing people out; we really don't have anything to bring the mood down. Tina and I are happy/flirty drunks, Sam is a smoochy drunk, and Mike cracks jokes and makes fun of people, dancing the entire time...so by the time we finish playing a round of "The Bad Girls Club" drinking game (where we take a swig of beer -or chick beer- every time someone says the word "bitch"), we were acting a fool.

Tina and I were on the couch laughing at Mike, who was doing a great impression of Kurt. He had put on a really fitted pair of jeans, a pink t-shirt of Tina's, one of my vests, a pair of suspenders, and had fashioned a brooch out of a cat-shaped refrigerator magnet. Mike-as-Kurt flamboyantly accused Tina and I of stealing his favorite sailor hat, while doing Kurt's patented shoulder-shimmy dance. I'm not gonna lie; on this particular day, Kurt wasn't exactly my favorite New Directions member, so even I did a little laughing at his expense.

Sam was pretending to be Natalie Nunn; stomping around in a pair of my mules and shouting "I run LA, right now" in between planting kisses on the shoulder that all my laughing had exposed.

Then we played a game of Truth or Dare, with the tequila as a consequence for questions left unanswered and dares left undone. The game was really informative. I found out more about Tina and Mike's sex life than I ever wanted to. Blame it on Sam, he's fascinated by what he calls Anime Sex.

When night fell, each couple went in to our room and went to bed drunk and happy. Sam and I heard the exact moment when Tike decided to get freaky. One second all we heard was nature sounds, the next it was all headboards banging on the wall. Sam and I probably would have followed suit if we hadn't been so tired. By the time Mike started babbling in Mandarin, though, Sam and I were completely knocked out. While we slept, I dreamt of the day Sam and I figured out how to address our awkwardness about sexytimes.

**~Flashback~**

June 12, 2011**  
**

_On Sunday, Sam didn't have to go in until 6 pm, so he came to church with my family, and stayed afterward for dinner. It was a pretty odd day, since we had all this awkward energy between us about the physical aspect of our relationship. Plus, on the way home from church, Sam and I had disagreed about a new church member, since he swore up and down the guy was hitting on me. I put all that stuff aside, so we could get in a little time together before he went to work. We had about 3 hours to hang out before he had to leave, so we went into my game room and loaded Call of Duty. Before we could pick avatars, though, I turned to Sam to tell him I had come up with a solution to our sex problem. _

"_So, yesterday, I was surfing the web and came across this blog written by a marriage counselor named Renee Barclay…"_

_I drape my legs across Sam's lap and grin when he begins stroking my thigh._

"…_her blog was really cool, it was all about how people could avoid couples' counseling if they would communicate better. I was browsing through it, and found a part where she mentioned that a lot of couples don't talk about important things because the topics are too heavy, and they make them feel uncomfortable…"_

"_Just like us," Sam interrupted._

"_Exactly! So I kept reading, and Dr. Barclay suggests that whenever these topics come up, you should find a fun way to discuss them. With sex, a great way to get it out in the open, is making a game out of it."_

"_A game? Like you see in porn stores?"_

"_Sort of...I mean, lot of couples do stuff like play with sex dice, and they buy these board games with naughty game pieces, or make bets with new sex positions as ante. But not all of them have a physical element."_

I didn't think we were quite ready for that yet.

"_The best one, was this game for couples who want to spice up their sex lives but are embarrassed to tell their partner what they want to try differently."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_You'd be surprised how many men want their wives to spank them, or how many women want a come bath…"_

"_Wow…"_

"…_anyway, I figure we can take that game, but change it up in a way that will help us communicate about this stuff. Since we aren't having sex, we can play the game using acts of foreplay."_

I know I had his attention then.

"_The rules are pretty simple, we each spend some time this week writing down sex-related acts that we wanna try with the other one. We're not playing a hypothetical game, so the point is to only include stuff you actually want to try with me…Kind of like a sexual wish list."_

"_Can you give me an example, or…"_

"_I mean, I don't want to know if you've been dreaming about shoving a dildo up my ass, cuz we really aren't there yet…"_

_Sam playfully poked out his bottom lip and pretended to pout._

"…_but all the stuff that might come up when making out; you know, rounding the bases…we should totally talk about that kind of thing."_

"_That makes sense."_

"_You're a boy, I know you've seen a little porn in your lifetime. And you used to date Santana, so I'm pretty sure you can come up with a few things you'd like to try with me one of these Wednesday nights…"_

Sam perked the hell up just now, I guess it means he's in.

"_I may be a virgin, but I read erotica and fan fiction enough to be curious about some stuff I've read…"_

Great, now he's looking at me like I'm a stranger and I'm pretty sure my cheeks are flushed.

"…_what, everybody know quiet girls are freaky" I add, just to make him as uncomfortable as I feel._

"_I seriously hope so," Sam joked._

_I kiss his cheek and finish with, "If we make a game out of it, we can have a frank discussion about these things, but keep the atmosphere kinda light and breezy. So what do you say?" _

_He nods at me so I ask, "Wednesday Night?"_

_Sam nods again, and answers "Wednesday Night!"_

* * *

_**Sam POV: **_

June 15, 2012

Friday morning Mercy and I woke up early, feeling pretty good despite the fact that we drank our weight in alcohol last night. We spooned and waited for Mike and Tina to surface while talking over our schedule for the rest of the day. The plan went like this: the girls would cook breakfast, while Mike and I went to rent a couple of canoes down at the lake. We figured we would go fishing, and hopefully catch a little something for lunch. Then, we'd cook lunch and pack everything up to eat at one of the outside picnic tables. After spending the afternoon in the woods, we'd check out of the cabin, then head over to the campgrounds to pitch tents and set up our campsite.

Before we did any of that, though, I wanted to make up for falling asleep so fast last night. Cedes used to wear all of these negligees and corset-y things whenever she knew we were gonna be having sex, but ever since she put on this strip tease to a song called _T-Shirt and Panties_, that's all I want to see her sleep in. Her t-shirt had Superman's logo across the front, and the panties were crotch-less and dark blue. I may have dated a few high maintennace girls in the past, but I have to say, I love how sexy Mercy can make simple things.

We kissed long enough for me to see how turned on she had gotten, then I stayed still while Mercy climbed on top of me. Crotchless panties are always a sign Mercy's feeling kinda bossy…

* * *

Later on, after hiking back to the lake to watch seaplanes take off from the seaport base, we decided to build a fire. We all sat around drinking, roasting marshmallows and joking when Mike brought up something that happened yesterday morning.

"Hey Cedes, did Sam tell you we ran into Shane while you two were shopping before we came up here?"

"No, Mike...where?"

"Mike needed fishing line, so we went to a sporting goods store," I answered.

"Yeah, it looked like Shane was stocking up on gear for Ohio State football camp," added Mike.

"Did you guys say hello?" asked Tina.

"Yeah," I told her. "He said to tell you 'hi,' Mercy" I told her, pulling her into my lap.

"Shocked the hell out of me… I always figured you had a beat down coming your way at some point this summer for all the shit you pulled when you stole 'Cedes back" laughed Mike.

"Shit, you and me both, dude...when Mercy told me she confessed to cheating on Valentine's; ice-cold fear ran through my veins..." I looked down at the girl in my arms. "...you're worth a beat down though."

"Aww, you're so sweet...and dumb!" she giggled. "I totally saw how scared you got when you asked me if he was mad about it. Shane's not like that though, he wouldn't jump you for stealing me back." I hugged her tighter. "He's a good guy, mostly."

"You know Cedes would never date a bully," says Tina.

Mercy hugged me back and kissed my cheek before saying, "Right? Plus, he knew his days with me were numbered the second Sam got back to Lima."

"For real?" I asked.

"Yeah, he and I both knew it was only a matter of time..." Mercy admitted. "…and I never told you this, but when I split up with him he told me he probably deserved everything you did to break Shanecedes up…"

She interrupted herself to brush hair out of my eyes while I winced at the nickname for her and the Bulldozer.

"…He even admitted to fucking with you all those times after he moved to Lima last summer. I got mad, called him an asshole, and told him Karma was a bitch," Mercy laughed.

"I told you he had his eye on you back then!"

"You did, and you were right!"

Tina chimed in with "God, I'll never forget the day you two made your relationship official and told us you were dating...it completely made my day!"

"Yeah, T was squealing her ass off about our two best friends seeing each other. She couldn't wait to go out on double dates." Mike dodged a playful slap from Tina. "Seriously, did you know she had been trying to get me to set you guys up since before Homecoming?"

"Why didn't you?" I asked. "You would have saved me a lot of heartache."

_I remember 'Cedes helping me learn the choreography to 'Thriller," plus it was the beginning of the end of me and Quinn._

"Mike kept saying you weren't Mercedes' type, and that he couldn't see any chemistry."

That made me side-eye my best friend.

"You got that one wrong, Mike" Mercy piped in.

"Yeah, you two were soooo close by the time you came clean. How in he hell did you two go from barely speaking to best friends so fast?" Tina wondered.

"Finishing each other's sentences, dropping each other off at work..." chimed in Mike.

"…Going to church together, babysitting the kids…" added Tina.

Then we all laughed at the irony of them accusing us of finishing each other's sentences.

"First of all, Sam and I were a secret… it's easy to get close when you don't have anybody in your business," Cedes explained.

"Plus, my family was homeless; it would have been really irresponsible for 'Cedes and I to have steady Breadstixx dates, or buy movie tickets for $20 a pop every Saturday night. All of my spare cash went directly to my parents to help pay for the motel, and buy food," I explained.

"Right?" 'Cedes added. "So we did free stuff...picnics, walks through the park, hanging out around my pool…"

"…we came here once, and drove to the lake lots of times. Plus we Netflixed every movie we ever heard of. Spending all that time together made us super comfortable, so we talked more than average teen couples." I finished her thought.

"And the sex stuff?" asked Tina. "Don't think we didn't notice you two were obviously in bed when you called us," she added.

Mike elaborated "It took T and me a whole year to get close enough to even talk about that kind of thing."

"Yeah, we thought you two were the shy types." Tina teased.

Mercy and I looked at each other and laughed.

"We are, but Mercy figured out a way for us to discuss that stuff without it getting awkward."

"That's right, we made it into a game..."

_**~Flashback~**_

_June 15, 2011**  
**_

_Mercy came over Wednesday afternoon, earlier than usual, because most of the pizzeria employees were doing inventory and I was allowed to go home instead. Mercedes was wearing this really hot denim skirt that was way shorter than anything I had ever seen her wear, along with a Captain America tee that looked like it had been ripped to create cleavage and remove the sleeves. On her feet she was wearing red-white-and blue striped knee socks and red chucks. I smiled when I saw her standing there because it was pretty obvious she had worn what she knew would turn me on. We ate dinner, repacked her basket, and sat down on the rug in front of the couch facing each other. She started pulling things out of her backpack, and asked me if I had written my wish list down. _

_I nodded and got my suggestions out of my wallet while watching Mercy set up our game space. She had brought what looked like a miniature chest of drawers, lime green with three drawers. You see teachers with them in classrooms all the times; they use them to hold gem clips and thumbtacks. She also had two miniature trash cans with lids that swung around. Mercedes instructed me to put all of my suggestions in one trash can and pass it over to her, while she put all of hers in the other and placed it by my side. It looked like Mercy had cut about 5 index cards in half and written a phrase on each with a purple sharpie. I had cut a sheet of copy paper into eighths and used an ink pen to write down the things I wanted to try. _

_Then she explained that we would take turns pulling a suggestion, and reading it aloud; then place it in either the top, middle, or bottom drawer of the little chest. According to Mercy, putting a suggestion in the top drawer would mean that it was something you were interested in trying. The bottom drawer meant Hell To The No, and the middle drawer would represent any activities you might want to try once if the circumstances were right. She pulled out a little timer, saying we would spend no more than five minutes discussing each act…where the idea came from, why we wanna try it, or why we don't want to; basically we would talk about whatever we wanted, so long as we kept it under 5 minutes. She said the time limit would keep things from getting too awkward. She asked me to go first. _

_I pulled the first scrap out of Mercy's little trash can, swirling the papers around and hoping I got a good one. "I want you to titty-fuck me." I read, feeling my face flush and my ears burn. I was embarrassed, but I figured this had to be more embarrassing for her, so I put the suggestion in the top drawer. …cuz, hey, I ain't no dummy!_

"_Do you want to ask me anything about why I want to try that?" Mercy asked while she started the timer. _

"_Um, sure…when do you see us trying that particular thing?" I stumbled out. I mean, Mercy has great tits; I've spent the last year listening to Artie and Puck talk about them. But I never really considered it to be an act of foreplay. It seemed a little "advanced" for the conversation we were having. Plus, I wanted a date to look forward to._

"_Well, I don't think it's the type of thing I would be ready for anytime soon, but I always figured I would try it before actually having sex." _

_Then Mercy giggled. _

"_You think I don't know how the Glee boys ogle my chest? It's kind of flattering, especially if I catch somebody looking when 'Sandbags' Lopez is standing right there." _

_She looked a little shy when she continued. _

"_Plus, it would be a total power trip; I kind of like the idea of making you scream like a bitch…" _

_She's joking, but she ain't wrong about that one._

"…_I think if we were already naked, it might be really hot to climb up your body and slide your dick in between my ta-tas." _

_By this time, I'm having trouble breathing. _

"_Is there a hell-to-the-yes drawer?" I stammered. _

_The mood was awkward for about 3 seconds, then we laughed out loud. By the time she slapped my arm playfully, I realized I really did feel less embarrassed now… this was actually a great idea!_

"_My turn," Mercy said, clapping her hands and starting the timer over. She reached into my trashcan and pulled out a piece of paper. "I want to get you off with my fingers" she read out loud, then turned to me and asked, "Have you ever finger fucked anyone before?" _

"_Yes, Santana." _

_This is where the conversation got awkward, because I wanted to be honest, but I didn't want to piss her off by mentioning an ex._

"_How many times, and did you make her come?" _

_Mercy looked like she really wanted to know, and it didn't seem like she was picking a fight with me; so I answered her again._

"_We tried it twice; once after Rachel's train wreck party and once during that week they sang "Landslide" with Miss Holiday last year. The first time, she came, then started crying because she said she didn't want to feel anything down there for anyone but one other person. I guess she meant Britt…" _

_Mercy gave me the same look she had on her face when Britt sang "My Cup" in New York._

"…_Then she cussed me out and tried to jerk me off so I couldn't tell anyone that the infamous sex shark Santana Lopez had left me hanging. But she was all drunk and crying so I just dropped her off at home." _

_I saw 'Cedes mouth the word 'wow' so I grinned and went on._

"_The day she sang her song with Britt and Holly, we were making out in the backseat of her car after school. She let me get up under her skirt, but before I could finish her off, she stopped me. Satan pulled my hand out, went in my pants, and gave me a blowjob. Then she told me we were joining the celibacy club."_

"_Oh my damn…" _

_It was pretty funny how shocked she was._

"_I never pictured you and Satan having that much drama…whenever I saw ya'll making out, I just figured you spent all your time together getting freaky…"_

_I laughed out loud at that one._

"…_I completely misread that shit! And the blowjob? That's sick… I can't believe she would try to mack on you while she was still working through her whole Lebanese situation…" _

_Then she got back on track._

"_I've never had a boy finger me, will it hurt?" she asked._

"_Not if I don't try to penetrate you, I can get you off without actually sticking my fingers in you," I explained. I saw we still had about 2 minutes left on this subject so I asked her a question. "Have you ever used your fingers to get yourself off?" _

_I couldn't believe I just asked that._

_I could tell she was ashamed to admit to this but she said, "Yes, but this shit just took a turn for the awkward, so can I just put my paper in the top drawer and let you take your next turn?" Mercy asked. _

"_Sure, sorry." I pulled another piece of index card out, and read out loud "I want us to try 69..." I look over at her and she's doing her blush-face. "Will you marry me?" I asked, serious as a heart attack._

"_Boy! Quit playing…It sounds like fun, and Brittany says its good for two shy people to try oral sex this way because both people have a job to do." _

_I cannot believe my sweet Mercy is saying this right now._

"_If we try it this way, no one has to feel awkward about looking down and seeing a head between their legs..." _

_Then this really naughty grin appeared on her face. _

"_..I mean, I would feel a little shy about going down on you while you watched my head bob up and down..." _

_Wow, she's really put a lot of thought into this. _

"…_but if we try it this way, all parties are occupied with the task at hand-or head." Mercy explained. _

"_Oh, I'm not arguing. I wrote down I wanted to try oral sex too, but I didn't think to put 69 on my wish-list."_

"_You wrote down wanting me to blow you, didn't you?" _

_She started rifling through the suggestions in the little trash can on her lap, I guess wanting to see for herself. _

"_That's where you're wrong, Miss Nosy, so you can just stop trying to find a piece of paper with the word blow-job on it. Besides, do I seem that selfish to you? I wrote down I wanted you to sit on my face, if you must know." _

_Felt kind of silly to say it out loud, but hell, she asked._

"_For real?" _

_There goes that naughty grin again. _

"_Why that particular position?" asked Mercy._

"_This is gonna sound really weird but, you always smell like some kind of dessert…" _

_The look she gave me was 100% what-the fuck? _

"…_no, seriously, you always smell like a combination of vanilla, and something chocolaty; I guess it's the lotion you use or whatever. But anyway, there is no way in hell you don't taste sweet too, and I'm really looking forward to finding out first hand. With you on top, gravity will ensure that I don't miss out on the …em, _sweetness."

_Might as well tell the rest of it, too. _

"_Remember how you said it would be hot to make me your bitch? Well, I kind of like the idea too, and if you're on top when we try 69, then I'll get my wish." _

_In for a penny in for a pound. _

"_Besides, you know I have a sweet tooth." I joked. _

"_More like an oral fixation…how do you know you'll like the taste of pussy? Did you ever try it? I mean, when guys in books finger someone, they always lick the traces off of their fingers. Did you?"_

"_No, didn't get the chance… probably would have though. The smell of a horny girl is kind of a turn on in and of itself…" _

_I explained, trying to convey without getting too graphic how smelling a wet pussy could really get a guy going. _

"…_and I'm really curious to see for myself, so I promise I'll let you know if I like the taste after I try it" I wiggled my eyebrows at her._

"_You know what's funny?" Mercy asked. "Every thing I've read out loud sounds like fun to me, and I'm pretty sure you would like to try all the things you've read. All of your wishes involve getting me off, and all of mine involve your dick..." _

_She seemed to be concentrating on something, so I just nodded instead of answering her._

"_..Plus, neither one of us has objected to anything the other one has suggested. That probably means we are both givers in the sack, which is good. Unselfish people always enjoy sex more. "_

"_Yeah, you're right…most of my suggestions would probably get you off before me. But I am, Southern, so I know the lady should come first." _

_She reaches over and smacks me for the bad joke. _

"_No, seriously, it's a valid argument… no girl wants to sleep with a selfish guy. Plus, there is no way on earth I would ever take a girl's virginity without doing my level best to make sure she enjoys herself." _

_Time for my own naughty grin. _

"_At least 2 or 3 times."_

"_2 or 3?" she looked puzzled "Why so many?"_

"_Because it'll be my first time, too. I won't last long no matter how many mailmen I call on…" _

_Now she's giggling, thinking about Finn. _

"…_Plus, it seems like the more relaxed a girl is, and the more satisfied; the less the actual first time might hurt!'_

"_I agree, but just so you know…" Mercy began "…as a woman, I think its my job to make sure you have a good first time too. If I got you off before we actually did anything, then you'd last longer, right?"_

"_Again, will you marry me?" This time she just smirked and sent me her own eye wiggle instead of play-slapping me._

_Then I wondered something aloud. "So how do we know when were ready to take another step forward?" I asked. "I mean, if I hadn't been ashamed into stopping last week, I probably would have gone under your shirt and bra. I don't want to try something you're not ready for and scare the shit out of you…you'd have just ended up avoiding my ass."_

"_For the record, I wanted you under my shirt last week, so I'm pretty sure that means I'm ready for it. But in general terms you should take cues from me on what I want, and I'll try to take my cues from you. Like, I was tickling your nipples because I wanted your hands on mine. When you were grinding into me, I was grinding into you because I liked feeling how hard you were. I mean, you felt kind of big…" _

_Now it was my turn to blush. _

"…_and I'm gonna tell the truth and say I'm a little scared to even think about actual sex with you. But feeling you between my legs was awesome, and I can't wait until it happens again."_

"_I get it, I mean you say you wanted my shirt off, and I wanted to take it off; one of us should have just gone for it, or at least asked the other one."_

"_Exactly"_

"_Mercy?"_

"_Yeah, Sammy?" _

"_I don't want to play anymore, I want to make out!"_

"_Thank you Jesus!"_

_So we did._

**~End Flashback~**

After Cedes and I told Mike and Tina a few details about the "game," and answered about 75 questions the two of them had, we all said goodnight and each couple retired to its own tent. When 'Cedes and I were snuggled inside our sleeping bags (zipped together so we could sleep in the same space) we heard Mike and Tina start watching a movie on her laptop. Mercy and me just listened to the crickets chirping, the lake waves crashing, and the leaves rustling in the wind until we fell asleep.

The next morning we went back to Lima and went our separate ways.

* * *

**A/N: I have to offer a little explanation for the new story I just started posting today. It's called **_**Chillin' **_**and it started out when I actually wrote out the dialogue to Tina and Mike's Truth or Dare game with Samcedes.**

**It was really fun to write, but it took a turn for the really raunchy (which, admittedly, is natural when you're talking about teen couples drinking and playing Truth or Dare). Regardless of how realistic the scene was, it didn't actually fit in with the sweet story I'm trying to tell here. So I'm turning it into an offshoot.**

**I love the Mariposafria's "Between the Scenes: The Road To Samcedes" story, and this is kind of my way of doing the same thing. **

**I hope you guys like it, I am publishing the first two chapters at the same time (since they will coincide with the chapters I am posting from this story). If even three or four people seem to like it, then I will let it run its summer-long course.**

**Enjoy!**


	9. Vegas Pt 1

**A/N: The next two chapters will describe the trip Sam takes with the Jones family to Las Vegas, Nevada. In them, we will get some SamJones love (since I love the idea of the couple being close to each others' families) and a few more memories about those sexy Wednesday nights. There will be a little bit of smutty behavior, but I'm still not comfortable writing explicit sex scenes so not for real. **

**And yes, Sam is 18...because he failed the 4th grade before being diagnosed with dyslexia. Mercedes isn't yet though, so they will not be eloping in a service officiated by Elvis.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, or any of the places/attractions mentioned in this chapter.**

* * *

_**Sam POV: **_

June 25, 2012

After we made it to McCarren International Airport, the Joneses and I picked up our bags, got into the sweet Cadillac crossover we'd rented for the duration of the trip, and headed to the Palms. The drive was amazing, all flashy lights and drunk people on the sidewalks. It looked like everyone in the world had come to Vegas to party. After we had gone up and down the Strip a few times, Doc Jones started passing Mercy and me different brochures for tourist attractions that we could visit (since everyone else was old enough to gamble). Then Mercy's brother Matt told us there would probably be a few pool parties and under-21 activities being held in our hotel that we could go to, we'd just have to do some research. Mercy loves research.

Doc Jones handed Mercy and Matt each a credit card with their name on it. He explained that Mercy and I were to use hers to purchase any tickets, food, or gifts we wanted for the whole time we were in Vegas. He told Matt and Marc to use Matt's the same way. Then he handed Marc and I each an envelope full of cash, for "incidentals." They got $2000 because they would be gambling, me and Mercy's envelope had $500 in it. As we pulled up to valet park the car, Mrs. Dani told Mercy and me we didn't have a limit on the credit card, since we would be entertaining ourselves while everyone else gambled. Mercy put me in charge of the money, while she held onto the credit card.

Our hotel suite was bad-ass. I mean, Tony Stark doesn't have things this cool in his home. There was a game room, with a regulation basketball net, a pool table, and any type of arcade table you can think of. The outer deck had a sunken Jacuzzi and steam shower. The kitchen had a table for 10, and a complimentary bottle of champagne was already on top of it. The room us guys were sharing had three full size beds and a walk in closet which led to a bathroom connecting our rooms to Mercy's. Seemed like Mercedes was planning to use her extra bed as a fashion staging area, because she was hanging up clothes as soon as she walked through the door, and leaving others on the bed to contemplate. The master suite was huge and looked fit for a honeymoon.

After unpacking and ordering room service (steak and seafood for the parents, burgers and fries for us kids) the gamblers decided to go try their luck, while Mercy and I went online and bought tickets for all of the things we wanted to see. Then Mercedes called down to the concierge and asked if there were any activities planned in the hotel that under-21 year olds were welcome to enjoy. After we made our itinerary for the week, we went to bed.

* * *

June 26, 2012

None of the gambla-holics were even back when we woke up the next morning, and we figured they were either still playing or eating. Speaking of which, Mercy and I woke up and decided to take a cab to the Monte Carlo for breakfast. According to Matt, they had the biggest buffet and we wanted to eat here at least once. While we ate, I reminded Mercy of how we spent all those Wednesdays a year ago, getting closer. Mercy brought up what Mrs. Dani said about Mercy and I testing the waters before we actually had sex, and how I must be some kind of freak if I had her daughter wanting to give up her virginity.

Then Mercy remembered how we never finished that first time we played the game, and I laughed because she wasn't lying. The truth is, I was getting hornier and hornier with every scrap of paper we read to each other. Talking about the suggestions should have been clinical and dry, but hearing Mercy saying the words "dick, pussy, and tits" had me wanting to jump her. By the time Mercedes had given me permission to touch her breasts under the bra, I couldn't care less about the game; I just wanted to get her horizontal again….

**~Flashback~**

June 15, 2011**  
**

_Mercy must have felt the same way, because she pulled her shirt off before we both laid down. I got my own off, got comfortable on top of her and kissed my not-girlfriend. She pulled away enough to pepper my collarbone and whispered in my ear "don't you have a pair of sweat pants you can change into?" I looked down at her, kind of confused. "I wanna feel you better, and I'm okay with us being topless, but I'm not ready to make out in boxers and panties." She seemed kind of shy when she said, "sweat pants are thinner." _

_I made like The Flash and changed into an old pair of Finn's football sweats he'd given me. She crooked her fingers and said "Now where were we?" I got back on top of her and kissed her again. I swept my tongue across her bottom lip and slipped it in her mouth. While Mercy sucked on my tongue, I placed my right hand right over her belly button and slid my hand over her stomach. _

_Now everyone whose ever met me knows I love girls; short or tall, plump or skinny, light or dark. I love everything about the female body, and can rub my hands across a soft thigh or nuzzle into a girl's neck all day. Basically, I'm a cuddle monster, and proud of it. Cuddling with Mercy, though, was like coming home after a long vacation, like really comfortable and familiar. She had the softest skin, and she smelled better than any girl in the world. I wanted to wrap around her midsection and never let go, but since I already had permission to meet the twins I figured I should take advantage of it._

_Her bra was red with this front-close-snappy part that was really easy to flick open, so in no time flat I was face to face with the most bodacious tits I have ever in my life seen. To understand the magnitude of that statement, you have to consider the fact that I went to an all boys private school, so porn was pretty much my whole sex life for about 4 years. I have spent a lot of time looking at titty magazines, where the girls have implants so big that their bras have J-sized cups. I also watch Buffie the Body videos online where cute, kinda thick-bodied girls with large natural boobs bounce and sway around to booty music. Sometimes, at Puck's house we watch these DVDs where Snoop Dogg finds girls, and tapes them while they palm their own breasts and make their asses clap (gotta find out if Mercy can do that, by the way) and I have seen every _Girls Gone Wild _tape ever made. _

_But not one of the chicks in any of these places have a set of tits like Mercy. They're big like Santana and the implant queens, but they don't look hard at all… kinda like balloons filled with chocolate pudding. They aren't saggy or heavy looking like the natural knockers queens either. And I had absolutely __**no clue **__Mercedes Jones was packing this much ta-ta meat. I shot her a look of confusion, and she told me, "I wear minimizer bras that kind of mash my breasts in, so I don't walk around wearing blouses where the buttons don't close all the way." I shook my head at the idiocy of girls (why cant you just wear tee shirts then?) and dove in. _

_All I have to say, is that second base ROCKS! First of all, my non-girlfriend really, I mean REALLY loves nipple play. She's hella sensitive and actually moans out loud when I even get close to one. I started by cupping one of her breasts and flicking thumb over the nub while kissing her neck. She totally groaned. Then I rolled her nipple between my fingers, and bent down to circle the areola of the other one with my tongue. That made her arch her back and clutch at the back of my head. By the time I started licking and flicking my tongue over her nipple, she was pulling at my hair (which I really like) and grinding into me. Finally, I sucked like a baby and nibbled my way to her other breast and did it all again, in reverse. _

_While all of this was going on, Mercy rubbed her hands through my hair, over my shoulder, across my back and over my arms. She took her nails and drove me crazy scratching at any part of my skin she could reach (which, again, I liked a lot). Her legs were open, wrapped around my waist, and her skirt had ridden up so that I could feel how warm she was between her legs through her panties. _

_Since I know she likes it when I curse or say dirty words I decided now would be a good time to try my hand at freaky talk. I got close enough to suck on the sensitive place behind her left ear, then whispered "you're wet, and you wanna come don't you?" I felt her nod, so I ground my crotch into hers. "You feel how hard I am, right?" Again she nodded, and a really high-pitched moan escaped her lips, which I kissed away. She was totally right about the sweat pants, and the three layers of clothing separating us felt like nothing, so we each got a pretty good idea of how turned on the other one was. _

_I didn't want to go too far and scare her, so I asked her, "is this okay, do you want to come?" Again, she nodded and I kissed her and resumed dry-fucking. I concentrated on Mercedes' response to me in order to stave off coming too fast. When I angled my hips sort of high on her pelvis and slightly right of center, Mercy made this completely hot mewing sound. I figured her clit must have been right there so I concentrated my thrusts in that area while I let my hands move around to her waist. _

_I had swallowed a series of her moans, when I decided to speed up my hip movements and resume tweaking her nipples. I could tell she was close to coming when she closed her eyes and bit her lip, so I made sure to maintain contact with the next thrust of my hips- It must have done the trick because Mercy's back arched off the couch and her breathing became labored. I felt her get warmer and wetter, and the sensation was way too much for me. The moment I came in my underwear was the same moment Mercy's alarm went off. We kissed for another minute, she fixed her clothes, and I found a clean pair of underwear to change into. I walked her outside and declared this the "BEST GAME EVER!" _

_Mercy laughed, kissed me goodbye again, and left me there to shower._

**~End Flashback~**

I could tell Mercy was remembering what happened after we gave the game up, too. Instead of letting each other get all hot and bothered, we changed the subject and talked about how exited we were to do the stuff we had planned for the day. Then we left to start our Vegas adventure.

* * *

_**Mercedes POV:**_

June 26, 2012

Our plan for today was to stay on the South end of the Strip; so after breakfast, Sam and I went outside and found a bus stop to buy passes to ride the Deuce. We knew my dad wouldn't have a problem with us taking cabs everywhere, but I kind of wanted there to be some cash left in the envelope at the end of the trip; I knew from experience that my parents would let us split whatever was left. After buying three-day passes for $20 each, we rode the bus to the Mandalay Bay to visit the Shark Reef Aquarium. We took lots of pictures to show Stevie (he loves wildlife), then left to walk the Strip.

Sam and I decided stopped outside M&M World to take pictures with 'Green,' then went in the store to buy souvenirs. Sam tried to give me a lot of crap about spending Daddy's money on his family, but I shut him down quick. I told him about last year, when we spent a week in New Orleans. My brother Matt brought his then-girlfriend, Maya and used daddy's "buy whatever you want on vacation" rule to buy her an engagement ring. He even proposed to her in a restaurant where Daddy paid the bill!

After I told him all this, Sam helped me pick out tee shirts for his parents and piggy banks for the twins. Tina always makes this huge deal out of how the green girl M&M is such a great sex symbol; she even calls her our generation's Smurfette. So I made sure to get her a tee shirt and a pair of socks with the high heeled candy girl's face on them.

Then we went in the Coke Store and did this "Coke From Around the World" taste test, where we got to sample the most popular sodas in countries like Paraguay and Belgium. Most of it was disgusting, but Sam found this really cool bag he liked and I got beanies for me and my brothers.

After leaving the store we went into a tee-shirt shop and I got a Henna tattoo with the name _Sammy _inside an arrow-pierced heart. Sam wanted me to get it on his most favorite part of my body (my ass) but if henna smudges before it dries it won't stain the skin right, so got it on the back of my neck. We used the drawbridge from Excalibur to cross the Strip without having to dodge cars, and arrived at the MGM just in time to do the CSI Experience tour at 10:00. Sam loved it so much he made me promise we'd come back before we left on Friday. Then we backtracked to New York New York to ride the roller coaster.

Sam and I hopped on the Deuce again, avoiding stinky people and a couple who looked both drunk and horny. We rode to Planet Hollywood for lunch, and ran into Matt and Marcus. I swear, those two are a mess…I don't really know how they are gonna live apart when Matt gets married, they do everything together. They looked drunk and totally worn down. It was pretty obvious my big bros were on a losing streak, and trying to make up for gambling away their inheritance by drinking their losses in complimentary liquor. We invited them to eat with us, and laughed while they ranted about the evils of Vegas, and how Satan lives in a casino.

After lunch Sam and I stuck around to do a little more shopping in the Miracle Mile Shops. I was so happy we had already had our awkward conversation about money, because I showed my ass buying stuff. Sam didn't really, but he did pick out a Vegas-branded book bag for Stevie, and a doll with blonde hair wearing a shirt that says "What happens in Vegas…" for Stacie. He even found this store selling Monopo-Vegas game boards and coffee mugs so he picked up a few of those too.

I bought novelty shot glasses for Santana and Puck, and a tee shirt with a huge four leaf clover bearing the phrase "Luck of the Irish…" for Rory. Then I basically just worked on updating my wardrobe. I got this really cute LBD that was sleeveless and low cut across the chest. Instead of my usual empire waist (which is the most effective way to hide my tummy), it had all of this draping that started under the bustline and flowed to the hem. All of the extra fabric kept the dress from clinging to my problem area, but it was tapered to show off my waistline. I also bought some great boot-cut jeans, a bunch of denim skirts, and a lot of turquoise jewelry. I also found a really sexy pair of tan Frye boots on sale that I picked up for Sam. I love it when he goes all cowboy!

After shopping we walked to the Paris and went on Eiffel Tower: The Ride. Then we crossed the street again to see the fountains at the Bellagio. We found out about this pool party being held in the Palms that under 21 year olds could attend, so we got a cab back. Sam and I hung around there until about 7:00, when got into another taxi and went to the Mirage to see Siegfried and Roy's Royal White Tiger Show. Sam bought tee shirts for the kids, and I made sure to get a huge stuffed tiger for Britt, even though she'll probably just give it to Lord Tubbington.

For dinner we went back to Excalibur for the Tournament of Kings dinner show. Lord help anyone who puts Sam anywhere near costumes, swords and lances. The boy fan-girled so much he couldn't even eat. I bought him a souvenir sword and lances for his parents. He got himself a tournament helmet and play chain mail for Mike.

When we got back to our room, my brothers had locked Sam out and fallen into a drunken stupor. I could tell because I could smell the Black and Mild cigarillos, plus they were snoring loud enough for me to hear through the door. I sent Mama a text saying they had kicked Sam out and asked for permission to let Sam sleep in my extra bed. She replied that she trusted us, and our sleeping arrangements were going to be none of her business unless we made it her business. So I fell asleep wrapped around my baby. While I slept I dreamt of the Wednesday after we played "Foreplay Therapy."

_**~Flashback~**_

_June 22, 2011**  
**_

_The next Wednesday, Sam had to work until 6 pm, so I showed up around 6:45 with my basket. I had found this really cute black top with the Green Lantern logo on the front, and since I know how much Sam's dorky ass loves it when I rock superhero paraphernalia I had paired it with a little surprise for him. We ate dinner and repacked the basket, while Sam asked me if I thought we should play the game again. I'm not gonna lie, I was actually pretty anxious to get to the good part of the evening, and really didn't want to do any Q&A again. So I answered him with "Nah, we've pretty much discussed all our boundaries with foreplay. No reason to play again until we decided were ready for sex. Besides, the ice is broken, I'm not embarrassed anymore." I'm pretty sure he agreed with me._

_Sam went to put a movie on the TV, but instead of heading over to the couch, I came behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He turned around and kissed me, slipping his hands underneath my top. He was trying to guide me back to his the sofa when I broke the kiss and asked him "why don't you lay down on the bed?" Sam's parents slept in the full-sized bed closest to the door, the twins slept in the one nearest to the television, and Sam slept on the couch. Since he must have figured he wasn't in any position to deny me much, he flopped on the twins' bed. _

_This time, I took off my own shirt while he watched me. I'd worn another front-clasp bra, this time a black one, today. He was basically mesmerized watching me remove my clothing, and I kind of enjoyed doing the little strip tease. While Sam drooled, I turned away from him and started unbuttoning my skinny jeans. I turned to look at him over my shoulder and saw him watching me while removing his own shirt. When I slid my jeans over my underwear, he stopped moving completely. After hearing the sharp intake of Sam taking a deep breath, I giggled and shook my ass a little. I'd found a green pair of boy shorts with the same ring insignia on it as my shirt across the back, and I'm pretty impressed he didn't come in his pants right then. Then I walked over and slid next to him on the bed._

_I'm gonna admit, that I had about a minute and a half of worry that Sam would see my chubby body in all its glory and be turned off. I'm not super thin like Quinn, or slightly more curvaceous like Santana. I'm plump; all fleshy arms and juicy thighs and pendulous breasts and rounded tummy… But after those 90 seconds of flip-out were over, I quit tripping. I mean, this is Sam; the sweetest boy I've ever met, and he loved me. He'd never make me feel less than comfortable in my own skin. Plus, we had just had a long talk where he admitted to wanting to do a bunch of freaky shit to me. For all I knew, he might have even had some kinky fat-based stuff on his mind he wanted to try. So I mentally told the insecure part of my brain to shut the hell up, and kissed my not-quite-yet-man._

_I also have to admit that making out is a lot more fun when you have less clothes on. We lay there kissing and nibbling at each other for a long time without touching anywhere really naughty or removing any more clothes. Then Sam's hands went to the grabby place, and all bets were off._

_Let me just say right off, that nothing in the whole wide world feels better to me than Sam Evans' hands on my skin._

_Nothing. At. All._

_I, Mercedes Jones, am basically a very soft person. Like, my body type is soft and round, plus I spend hundreds of dollars every year on moisturizers and emollients, plus I totally refuse to engage in any activities that would cause scars or calluses to form._

_So yeah, I'm soft._

_Sam Evans is __**not **__soft, and thankfully, neither are his hands. My baby plays every contact sport known to man, and lifts weights religiously...so there are all these rough places on his hands where his fingers meet his palms. He's also an expert at the guitar and the piano; so over the years, the pads of his fingers have toughened up and developed thes really sexy calluses. Finally, Sam's great with cars; it used to be his favorite hobby, so he has his share of healed over scars, with nails that are sort of blunt and short._

_When my soft skin comes into contact with his not-so-soft hands, it feels how I imagine a light bulb feels when the switch is turned on... Totally electric! Anytime Sam touches me; I feel jealous of every football he's ever caught, every baseball bat he's ever gripped, and every rag he's ever used to wipe axle grease from his fingers. Shit, everytime Sam wraps those hands and arms around any part of my body, I wish I could spend a day in the life of his guitar._

_I went all around the world describing this stuff to illustrate that, whenever Sam's hands travel across my torso, over my thighs, along my jaw line, or anywhere else innocent; I melt...just get completely warm all over. But when he took those same hands and used them to slip inside the waistband of my Green Lantern boy shorts for the first time; I burst into fucking flames..._

_Since we'd never let any of our touching venture below the belt before, the idea kind of made me nervous. Not because I was worried I wouldn't like it, and not because of what this would mean for our relationship…I was worried that Sam would be disgusted by how turned on I was. _

_I was very excited, and so wet it was embarrassing. The sensation of Sam's lips on my collarbone didn't help anything, either. When he kissed his way around to my neck, and made his way to my breasts, though; I basically quit caring. _

_So much was going on, what he was doing to me was such an overload of sensations. I couldn't tell you what all was going on step by step. The only thing I can successfully recall about the first time Sam and I ventured into third base is how what he was doing made me feel._

_I know Sam pushed a lonely finger inside of me, very gently. I know he moved that finger back and forth enough to make me gasp out loud. I know he pulled his finger out, wet with my juices, and used it to trace light circles around my clit. When I thrust toward him with my hips in a circular motion and met his movements, I know he added more pressure. Then I felt the quickening in my belly that let me know my orgasm wasn't far off, ; that's when Sam took his hand out of my panties._

_Just as I was getting ready to cuss him out for leaving me hanging, Sam whispered "I want to see your pussy when I make you come, Mercy," in my ear._

_Sam was playing dirty, because he combined the dirty words he knows I love to hear with the sexy drawling whisper that fucks with my head._

_I nodded and lifted my hips so he could help me take my boy shorts off. _

"_You're so wet; I can smell how ready you are.." Sam whispered "I want to make your pretty pussy happy, you're gonna come for Sammy, right baby?"_

_I nodded again, and Sam sat up and lifted me into his lap facing him._

_I guess my not-yet-boyfriend had decided by this time to make me crazy using both his hands. He slid the middle finger of his left hand back inside me, and licked the fingers of his right hand before using them to touch my clit again._

"_You're already so wet; I only licked my fingers to see if you taste as good as you smell," he murmured while nibbling on my earlobe._

_I couldn't really form any words right then other than "Fuck, Sam….feels so good!"_

"_You're gonna let me get my taste from directly between those thighs next time, right?" he continued, while rubbing my clit in a slow circle._

"_Shit, Sam…"_

"_Not until you answer me…" Sam kept on sliding his finger in and out, but stopped circling my clit; I guess to make sure I answered him._

"_Dammit Sam…please?" I looked at him and he smirked. "Yes, Sam Evans...you can suck on whatever you want next time, just please make me come now…"_

_Sam must have heard whatever he wanted to hear, so he resumed the pressure on my clit, this time pinching the sensitive bundle of nerves between his thumb and forefinger. Then he asked "You want Sammy between your legs don't you? You got your pussy hair waxed just for me didn't you?"_

_I nodded, clenching my teeth, and probably my vagina. I wasn't gonna be able to take too much more of his freaky-ass words or his freaky-ass deeds. I was soooo close…_

"_I feel you getting tight around my finger, I feel good inside your tight little pussy, don't I?" Sam whispered._

_Right then, I close my eyes, I couldn't take looking at him, watching while he got me off. As it was, I hear myself whimpering and begging for him to finish the job._

"_Come all over my hand Mercy-Mine," he continued. "it's a big hand, and I want you to flood the whole thing."_

_I couldn't take anymore; I completely erupted right then. I'd never had an orgasm with anyone else in the room, and I'd never stimulated myself enough to come this fast. It felt so good I got teary-eyed and totally screamed his name. _

_It must have made Sam's day, because while he took his time coaxing me through the climax, he also flipped me over onto my back and whispered "whose name did you just scream again?"_

_Since I could still feel myself clenching and tightening around his finger and didn't want him to stop what he was doing, I answered with "Shit baby, yours…only yours."_

_A minute later I passed the fuck out._

_Sam woke me up less than 30 minutes later, and I offered to return the favor, but Sam only asked "Next time?" and handed me my clothes. I noticed he hadn't offered me my boy shorts, but I really didn't give a damn. I decided that if I could come like that in return for each pair, he could have all my panties._

_When I kissed him goodbye, I detected a trace of me on his lips. Figuring out for myself how Sam must have cleaned his fingers, I slipped him the tongue and confirmed "Next time," the second the kiss was over._

_**~End Flashback~**_

When I made that comment to Sam about quiet girls being freaky, I was only kind of joking. The fact is, I was actually having a ball getting more physical with Sam-I-Am last summer. That _Rocky Horror _song I sang about "relieving tension" was pretty much on point, especially when you consider who played my love interest in the play.

Aside from the physical aspect, though, the fact is that I've pretty much always enjoyed the time I've spent with Sam. Even when all we were doing was homework or practicing for performances, Sam always found a way to make me laugh out loud. By the time we had started doing all of that stuff on Wednesdays it was already pretty clear to me that Sam could suggest a trip to the county dump to go diving for treasure, and I'd be all over it. We just clicked like that, and I trusted him; and I still do.


	10. Vegas Pt 2

**A/N: This chapter describes the last two days of the Jones' Vegas vacation. Lots of great family interactions and a **_**smidgen**_** of smut.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or the characters of Glee. I like them too much to make them suffer like the owners do.**

* * *

_**Mercedes POV:**_

June 27, 2012

Wednesday, Sam and I hit the North end of Las Vegas Strip. We walk across the street to the Rio for breakfast, then cabbed it to the Stratosphere so we could defy some death. Sam and I bought these passes that allowed us each admission to the tower and 3 rides each for $33 apiece, then rode to the Tower to have fun. We rode Insanity first, which was like a down-ward facing merry-go round on top of the world. We probably should have chosen something else right after breakfast, but nobody hurled so then we got in line for the X-Scream. This one was basically just a giant see-saw with the added element of height. The next thing we rode was the Big Shot ride, which catapults riders 160 in the air at 45 miles an hour, and back down. Then it shoots them back up again. All of that was fun, so we just said "fuck the cost," and decided to go on the Skyjump. That shit was completely fierce. The Tilt-A-Whirl we went on last year had nothing on Skyjump. It was basically a free fall from the 108th floor of the Stratosphere, and it totally scared the hell out of both of us.

After leaving Stratosphere, we decided to visit Circus Circus. We'd had enough theme park rides for the day, so we decided to forego the Adventuredome. But we did sit through several of the circus acts. Sam loved the flying trapeze show and the Polish acrobats. My favorites were the foot jugglers and the two guys named Ernesto that did the roller skate act.

By the time we had sat through 5 shows, we decided we could stomach a little lunch, so Sam and I hit the buffet at the Venetian. Afterward, we took an outdoor Gondola Ride. I found this cool book on the history of Gondoliers in the gift shop for Quinn. Then we walked next door to Madam Tussauds Wax Museum. We stayed there for about there for about two hours, long enough for Sam to use Instagram to tweet pictures of himself with SpiderMan, Simon Cowell, and Dr. Spock. My favorites were President Obama, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Beyonce but I opted to save all of my pictures on my camera and upload them to Facebook after we got back to the room.

It was 6 pm when we left there, so we went back to the Palms to have an early dinner (via room service) and get changed for our evening entertainment. This was definitely the activity I was the most excited for. Sam and I had 8:00 tickets for Purple Reign, a Prince tribute show! I love Prince, almost as much as I love Michael Jackson…in some ways I love him more, because his music is sexy in a way MJ's isn't.

We watched a truly impressive impersonator sing my favorite songs like, "When Doves Cry" and "1999," we listened to Morris Day and the Time (surprisingly, Sam knew most of the songs because of his mom) and even met Jason Tenner afterward. He told me I could call him Jay when he signed my program, and Sam gave him the "leave my Mercy alone" face more than once. It was an incredibly epic night, and I didn't want it to end.

When we got back to my room, I was kind of worked up, so I made sure to climb on top of Sam and let him know how horny I was feeling. It didn't take long for him to turn the tables, and take over our midnight activities…

When Sam and I first hooked up, I did some research on dyslexia…I wanted to see if there was any way I could help him, or make school a little easier for him. One thing I learned is that dyslexic people sometimes process different types of physical coordination differently. Like, for instance, Sam can get his body to do what his brain tells it to do when playing baseball, to the point where he's actually a great player. But he loses that same control when he attempts to memorize and correctly interpret dance steps. The thought processes take place in two separate parts of his brain, and he's definitely more comfortable using the "sports and recreation" area.

When Sam and I are getting physical, I often wonder about this. How is it, that a guy who has trouble tying his shoes (hell, he didn't learn to double-knot until Mr. Shue taught him) can successfully grope my ass, kiss my neck, and thumb my nipples, all at the same time? How does a boy who sometimes loses his bearings while walking from the auditorium to the locker room, have no problem tugging my hair, kissing my breasts, and parting the folds of my labia, all at the same time?

The answer is, I don't know. I may never understand it, but I totally thank God for gifting this boy with the means to successfully and consistently over stimulate Mercedes Jones. Usually, the sensations I get from him are way too much for me to handle. Most of the time when we get freaky, Sam has to put a hand over my mouth or a pillow over my face so people outside won't hear.

The fact that he gets me going so good is definitely why I love sex with him so much. It's also why I try extra-hard to be as generous in the sack as he is. While I recover from multiple orgasms and listen to him snore, I remember the first time I showed Sam how very much I appreciated his generosity.

**~Flashback~**

June 29, 2011**  
**

_The Wednesday after I rode Sam's fingers to orgasm, I was very VERY determined to turn the tables on him. I really felt like I had something to prove to Sam-I-Am. After all of my talk about making him my bitch, it was kind of mortifying that my only-slightly-more-experienced non-boyfriend actually put my ass to sleep. He called me around 3:45 that afternoon to invite me over so I threw on a white sleeveless blouse, a short khaki skirt, and a pair of gold espadrilles. Since it was so early, I wondered if he even showed up to work that day. Deciding not to cook a meal and bring it over, I figured I could order Chinese and have it delivered so I'd have more time to get my revenge._

_When I got there, Sam opened the door and said "Hey, Baby…" He kissed my cheek, then asked "…where's your basket?"_

_I answered with "We don't need it tonight…" then I nudged him backward toward the couch. "…Don't worry, you won't miss it at all."_

_Then I kissed him hard and yanked gently at his gym shorts. The look on Sam's face when he realized my hands were wrapped around his dick was worth money. The way he moaned out loud when I playfully pushed him onto the sofa and knelt in front of him was priceless._

_I'm not gonna lie, when Sam didn't let me jerk him off last week, I was kind of relieved. I was really scared I would hurt him or mishandle his equipment and I wasn't too anxious to go into it without a roadmap. But I took a little time out this week to research this next step, so I was pretty confident I could make a pretty good showing. As embarrassing as it was for me to Google the phrase "How to perform oral sex," I'm so glad I did it._

_First of all, I was very surprised at how big Sam was. I hadn't seen him in all his glory yet, and it was pretty damn impressive. If I hadn't done my homework beforehand, I would never have known enough to start with the tip and work my way back. That made the thought of taking the whole thing in my mouth less intimidating. It was really sensitive, and Sam's hands immediately clutched my shoulders when he felt my tongue on the head of his cock. _

_I got this surge of boldness when he started moaning, so I slowly worked my mouth further down his shaft. Making sure to use my lips to cover my teeth, I alternately licked and sucked the length of him. I also made sure to use my hands to fondle his balls carefully._

_While this was going on, Sam was totally losing his cool. He really, I mean REALLY enjoyed it when I licked the underside of his shaft (the article I read said there's a really sensitive vein in that area), it made him groan and close his eyes. Every time I hummed on the down stroke (since my research told me it was a good way to relax your throat and ultimately take more dick in your mouth) he said my name out loud. But what totally undid my boo was when I took his balls one by one inside my mouth. He was very close to losing the plot, I could tell because he got a serious case of the Thumper-legs and basically humped at my face. _

_When Sam started moaning my name and thrusting, I wiggled out of my blouse and top. I hadn't made up my mind about letting him come in my mouth, but I figured even if I didn't, he could at least come across my chest. That's sexy, right? My final out-of-bra jiggle must have really done something to Sam, because that's when he let loose with the freaky talk…_

"_Shit, Mercy….feels so good. God, you're good at this. Baby, please don't stop…"_

_It made me kind of proud, but I still wanted to outdo myself, so I remembered our sex game and decided to kick it up another notch. I wrapped my breasts around his member, and used them to manipulate his shaft up and down. Then I bent down and sucked the head of his dick while continuing to jerk him off with my tits. _

"_Fuck, 'Cedes.. Damn…shit, don't stop. Please keep going, baby!"_

_Pre-ejaculate seeped out of the slit of his dick, so I made a huge show of slurping it up and licking my lips afterward. _

"_Yeah, shit baby that was hot. Keep licking my dick just like that…You want me to come for you, don't you? Please let me come in your pretty mouth…"_

_I guess that answered my question about whether I should let him come on me or in me. I decided I didn't care, and took the opportunity to lick the underside of his dick one more time. By the time I surrounded him in my lips again, he was coming._

"_Shit, shit __**SHIT **__Mercy, baby. I love you so much… You feel so fucking good; Oh my God. Please don't stop what you're doing, baby. You're so perfect and sexy and FUCK…it's too fucking much. I'm coming, God 'Cedes I love you baby…SHIT!"_

_I was pretty sure he was done, but I made sure to re-wrap my tits around his dick continue licking the tip while swallowing his seed. By the time Sam finally pushed me gently away from him (I read about how sensitive a guy gets after coming so I wasn't offended) my lips were tired, but I was pretty damn proud. _

_I guess my smile reflected that (I imagine it was a cat-who-ate-the-cream type of grin) because Sam asked, "you're really proud of yourself, aren't you?"_

_I just nodded, stood up, and smiled, not knowing if he would want me to kiss him after what I'd just done. Then Sam beckoned me into his lap, saying. "Girl, you gotta bring my kiss over to me, cause I can't feel my legs right about now and I'm pretty sure I'd fall if I stood up."_

_I just laughed my ass off, came over to sit in his lap; then kissed him as hard as I could.  
_

**~End Flashback~**

That was totally the night I decided that I was ready to have sex with Sam for the first time. Sam's such a good guy; hilarious, generous, completely fucking sexy… He'd had my heart for so long that it felt completely right for me to trust him with my body too. When I got home that night I made sure to meet mom in the kitchen and ask for her blessing. Even now, knowing what we went through with Kentucky and Shane and Facebook, I never regretted it one bit.

* * *

_**Sam POV: **_

June 28, 2012

Since today is gonna be the last full day we spend in Nevada, Mercy and I begged Mom and Pop Jones to let us drive the rental, so we don't miss out on all of the "off-Strip" activities we planned out. We knew getting around would be a nightmare if we relied on public transportation, and that we might spend so much time switching buses and hailing cabs we'd probably miss out on something. Mercy's parents agreed, and weren't doing anything themselves, so they made us promise to be careful and sent us off.

The first stop of the day was the "World Class Driving" tour. Mercy wanted to see Hoover Dam, and her dad made us promise to do it by guided auto tour. It was super expensive, but it fucking rocked! I got to drive a Ferrari and a Lamborghini, Mercy pushed us around in a Bentley and a Porsche. The tour was only about 50 miles long, but we had a blast.

Next, we went on this ATV Action Tour that Mercy found a flyer for downstairs in the lobby. It was almost as fun as the fancy-car tour. I'm a country boy, so riding four-wheelers and dirt bikes is pretty much part of my DNA. I had no idea Mercy had a motorcycle license, though. Apparently her daddy taught her how to ride when she was 14. Anyway, riding around the desert was hella cool, and the moto-cross outfit on Mercy was a sight to behold. In the gift shop we found this great pair of driving gloves for Artie.

Then we visited the Mob Museum, which was really close to the Golden Nugget. Mercy took pictures of me next to my favorite artifacts then we saw a few of the interactive exhibits. My favorites were the one that told about where the mobsters ended up (witness protection or dead, usually) and the one that talked about the myths portrayed by the movies. Mercy bought me a fedora in the gift shop and I decided to get one for Finn and Kurt too.

Since we were back in the vicinity of the casinos, we decided to go to Gameworks on the strip to play a few video games and eat lunch. Mercy loves it when I win her tickets playing Skee-ball, plus she sucks at it herself. We had a ball fighting off a zombie apocalypse, flying fighter jets, virtual bowling. Mercy is a beast at Primeval Hunt, and I kick ass on Deal or No Deal. After playing for a few hours, we ate in the restaurant there.

After lunch we headed to Las Vegas Hilton so we could FINALLY do Star Trek: The Experience. During the Klingon encounter, I got to participate in an ACTUAL Star Trek mission. It was the best 18 minutes of my natural born life. The Borg invasion was this 4D interactive experience with special effects and attempted drone captures, and I honestly didn't want to leave. I was actually pretty mad at myself for buying stuff at other attractions, because I literally wanted one of everything in the gift shop, but I limited myself to a working model of the _Enterprise_ and t-shirts for Blaine and Joe.

The first part of the day was so exciting, Mercy and I decided to hang out by the pool for the afternoon, and just hang out. We ran into her parents, drinking cocktails and laughing their asses off. Apparently, Marcus and Matt had just found them in the casino and bragged about winning $300 playing as a team at a card table. After making fun of their parents for wasting time at slot machines, the two started to walk off, just in time for Doc Jones to win $1,200 on one pull of a dollar slot! While Matt and Marc stood there flabbergasted, Mom Jones hit BET MAX on her machine and won another $2,300!

We congratulated them and joined in laughing at Mercy's brothers. Then Doc Jones informed us there was going to be a party at the MGM Grand that night, one under-21-year-olds could attend. He handed us a flyer that some promoter had given him and told us our Pepsi cocktails would be on him. Then he gave Mercy and me another $300 apiece. At this rate, I was gonna end up with money left over when we got back to Lima. I guess I can just hold onto it and treat my girl to souvenirs when we go to Yosemite. When the sun started to set, Mercy and I went upstairs to shower and dress.

I guess I looked okay when we went out; I decided to wear a pair of dark wash jeans, a smedium light green Henley to match my eyes (and show off my abs), and a pair of green-and-white sneakers her brothers bought me for my birthday.

Apparently, a non-spoken rule for dating a Black woman (and being accepted into her Black family) is that you must own a pair of Air Jordans, Chuck Taylors, or Air Force Ones to match all of your favorite shirts and/or outfits. When I turned 18, Matt and Marc came to Lima for the sole purpose of bringing me a huge box with 18 pairs of sneakers inside (I guess one pair for each year of my life), while laughingly imparting this wisdom on Black culture. They even bought shoe cleaner, leather protector, and a bunch of matching logo socks to wear with them. I wasn't mad though, the sneakers were all super nice.

Mercy was gorgeous in this really hot dress and heels. It was black, sleeveless, short, and showed off a LOT of cleavage. But instead of the baby-doll style waist she usually wears, this one kind of reminded me of a toga, with all these layers that went across her body. My baby hates her belly, and is always looking for ways to hide it when she dresses up; I'm sure this new style was her latest attempted to hide the tummy I love so much. She did a good job picking, but at some point I should tell her I rarely find myself looking at her stomach anyway, when her boobs are on display. I have to admit that even our first Prom night, back when she was a lot bigger than she is now, all I saw in front were her tits.

The really high heels she wore were peep-toe and sexy, and if I'm not mistaken had red bottoms. I watch enough _Basketball Wives _and _Drop Dead Diva_ with Mercy to know that meant they were expensive. I love her in anything she wears, but I gotta admit, tonight, she was hot like fire…I wanted to be burned, for sure.

We partied for a few hours and made it back to the Palms, making a pit stop in Matt and Marcus' room. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum had finally figured out that they didn't have to lose thousands of dollars at Blackjack tables in order to get drunk. So they took the rental car out to the North end of the Strip and brought back as much hard liquor and as many chasers as they could find. We were invited to drink with them, so I poured Mercy glass after glass of Nuvo, and helped Matt totally destroy a fifth of Courvoisier.

We had fun; it was seriously hilarious to find out that Matthew smokes these cigarillos filled with pipe tobacco whenever he drinks. Between the sweet smell of the burning tobacco leaves and the pungent aroma of the liquor on his breath, it was like hanging out with my granddaddy in his den, back in Tennessee. Matt's a damn fool; he kept cracking jokes about my white ass drinking cognac like a pro, and apologizing for not buying any Jack Daniels for me to toss back. Dude actually promised me he'd find a rebel flag and a shotgun to hang up over the fireplace before we drank together again, just so I would be comfortable.

Don't tell Finn or Britt, but I actually think it's kind of funny when Mercy's family says racist stuff against White people. I know they only do it cause they love me, and they trust me not to take it seriously. Plus, some of it **is** kind of true…I just reminded Matt that I'm a Southerner, and told him I could fuck up any liquor he challenged me with; white or brown. Then I told him his 'yac was like Kool-Aid compared to the bourbon and corn liquor my uncles like to take to the head. That shut him the hell up.

Marcus was telling Mercy how hard it was to find package stores on the Strip that sold more than beer and wine. Kept gesticulating wildly and describing the "Quest," like they had to defeat dragons or save a princess just to find a bottle of Patron Silver. I guess the casinos prefer it if customers can only get a decent shot in their bars or whatever. The "journey" must have been really difficult, cause it looked like they tried made up for the hardship by bringing back half the store.

Mercy and I returned to her bedroom and took a shower together, then laid down to spend our last tipsy night together in Vegas. We weren't exactly drunk, and we weren't anywhere near passing out, so I spooned my girl while we laughed at her crazy-ass brothers. Her giggling created a seismic body wave which caused her backside to gyrate against my crotch, and Little Sammy never could resist that particular part of Mercy's anatomy, so it didn't take long for me to get turned on. I took the opportunity to grind against her backside and tickle her side…basically hoping she was feeling as horny as I was getting. When it looked like Happy Drunk 'Cedes wasn't quite in the freaky zone yet, I decided to play dirty.

Remember when I described the time 'Cedes and I played her 'Sex Therapy' game? Remember when she accused me of having an oral fixation? Let me be the first to admit that I, Sam Evans, am guilty as charged. My absolute favorite pastime, since last summer, is kissing all over Mercedes Jones' body. I honestly don't even remember what the hell I did for fun before she and I got together. Whatever my hobbies used to be, they didn't compare **at all **with trailing over her skin with my mouth. In, fact, I'm pretty sure God made Mercy's body slightly larger than any of my former girlfriends, just so I'd have more flesh to wander my lips over…and I thank Him daily for his bounty.

Kissing Mercedes' neck and jaw is like coming home after a long war. Her nipples in my mouth taste better than all the candy in a Trick or Treat pumpkin on Halloween. Licking my way down her stomach is like being wrapped in a warm blanket. Burying my head between her thighs is like taking a hot shower on a cold ass morning.

Before Mercy and me got close to actually try oral lovin' for the first time, she actually admitted that she'd never feel completely comfortable letting me go down on her unless it was immediately after a shower or bath. She had all these ideas about guys hating to do it and resenting their girlfriends for expecting it. According to Mercy, the smell and/or taste of pussy wasn't something most boys enjoyed, nor was it something they could ever enjoy. As a matter of fact, she made sure to do it to me first last year, so she wouldn't feel guilty when I returned the favor.

Right then, I decided to put all of that dumb shit out of her mind for good. How in the hell could Mercy spend so much time with me and not realize my favorite thing is her body parts in my mouth? I can barely make it through Glee without trying to get a mouthful of earlobe, or kiss her cheek without coming around to suck her lip in between mine. My obsession is half the reason she and I keep the PDA to a minimum in school... Once I get started its hard to stop. Shit, I can't tell you how many times I've left a hickey on her thighs or between her boobs, and didn't even realize it until the evidence was there. Even when we first got together, I couldn't keep my lips away from Mercy-mine. When she told me how shy she was about us trying oral sex, I told her I had a foolproof way to change her mind.

Since then, I've made it my business to make her come on my tongue in just about every place we ever spent time together. Casa de Evans at the All American Motel was a given, in fact, it's where we did it first. In her room at home was obvious too. It didn't stop there, though. I've tasted my girl while she sat on her kitchen counter, I've eaten her out spread-eagle on the table while I sat in a kitchen chair. I've knelt between her legs, licking her sex while she sat on her sofa, and I've had her ride my face in the shower. I've gone down on her in the back of her daddy's Tahoe, and I've sucked on her clit in the park baseball dugout after hours. My most recent accomplishment was the last day of school, when I tongued her pussy in the auditorium dressing room at school. What can I say? She's my favorite meal.

It took a few weeks, but I made sure Mercy eventually figured out that I preferred her clit to breakfast in the morning, and I'm a dude that _lives _forpancakes and bacon in the a.m. Tonight, I decide to remind her of that, since Aussie kisses always make Mercy beg me to fuck her silly. It's never hard to talk my baby into opening up either, she loves it when I talk freaky or kiss one of her "spots."

I start by lifting her hair and kissing the back of her neck. I love her natural hairdo, its so sexy. While I trace my tongue lower, I can't help but inhale deeply, and smell the coconut shampoo and conditioner Mercy uses. As I tickle her upper back with my tongue, I move my hands underneath her nightgown.

Pinching my lady's nipples, I licked along her jaw line and smiled when she let out a gasp. By the time I rolled Cedes over to her back and replaced my fingers with my teeth, she's purring like a happy kitten. I travel back up to her mouth, and kiss her pouty lips while my hands part her other set of lips. When she groaned, I dive down to meet those lips head on.

When it looked like I was gonna get full access to my favorite thing on any menu, I remember the first time I ever got the chance…

**~Flashback~**

June 29, 2011**  
**

_Mercy had just finished reducing me to a blabbering mess on the sofa of my family's motel room, and then ordered Chinese for dinner. _

_I'm serious, my girl must have some kind of ESP, and it's tuned to an all-Sam frequency most of the time. Somehow, she knew I couldn't stomach any more pizza…that I haven't had Chinese in months, and would kill somebody for an egg roll. That's how perfect she is for me; Mercy knew it without me saying a word._

_After dinner, 'Cedes and I decided to hook her iPod up to my laptop (which was basically the only consumer good I kept earlier this year) and listen to music instead of finding a movie to ignore. We lay down on the twins' bed again and started to make out._

_After about 15 minutes I asked 'Cedes, "How about a massage, Baby?"_

_She laughed and replied "Haven't I pampered you enough today…"_

_That made me blush._

"…_Now you want a neck rub?"_

_I smirked and answered "Not a neck massage, darlin. I'm talkin about a full-body rub-down…" I started undoing her buttons and bra before adding, "…and I'll be the one doing the work; not you."_

_Mercy nodded and stripped off her skirt and lay down on her stomach._

"_Oh no, baby; you're not done undressing yet. I wanna see you naked.," I informed her, and Mercy shifted enough for me to take off the lacy pair of undies she wore._

_When 'Cedes felt my tongue on the back of her neck, she started, and looked over her shoulder to question me with her eyes._

"_I never said I'd be massaging you with my hands, beautiful…get comfortable, and let the super-hero enjoy his Mercy-time, okay?"_

_Mercy rolled her eyes, and answered "As you wish, Super-Dork," and turned back around._

_So I resumed tasting the back of her neck, traveling as slowly as I possibly could._

_Her naked ass felt amazing pressed against my crotch, and I'm sure I gave it a few involuntary humps, but I stayed mostly focused on the feel of the skin on my tongue. _

_I trailed a series of butterfly kisses between Mercedes' shoulder blades, which caused her to tense up, in what I hoped was a good way. Running my hands along her sides, I made sure to caress the sides of her breasts and along the back of her arms. _

_Then I planted a kisses down Mercy's spine and left a few love bites only I would ever see. By the time I made my way to the curve of her butt, I could tell Mercy was completely turned on._

_Kissing the apple of Mercy's ass cheek, I contemplated giving her back door a lick or two, but ultimately decided to wait on that particular milestone. Instead, I concentrated on another hole I wanted to meet face to face._

_While she still lay on her stomach, I parted 'Cedes' legs and felt how wet she had become. Running my hands along the back of her thighs, I whispered, "turn around, baby…time for you to keep your promise from last week."_

_Last week, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Mercy kept her pussy hair waxed. I had always heard that Black women preferred to keep themselves, for lack of a better word, bushy. I've also seen enough editions of King Magazine to know a lot of Black men like it that way. The thought didn't turn me off, even if it wasn't my preference; so I'd pretty much gotten used to the thought of having a pubic afro to navigate once I got acquainted with Mercy down below. But not my baby; she kept her hair trimmed in the shape of a baseball diamond, complete with baselines and a pitcher's mound. It was totally hot._

_This week, though, she'd had a full-on Brazilian. Mercy's mound was as naked as a cue ball, and I could see her clit peeking out from between her pussy lips. I could also see wetness glistening on her sex. It was dripping down her legs and it made me want my taste right then. I allowed myself a slow swipe along her inner thigh, but eventually resumed my tongue bath._

_Coming back up to kiss her lips, I played with Mercedes' nipples with my fingers. The sounds coming from her were fucking beautiful and I was determined to make her sing out loud before she went home tonight._

"_I taste like that? Mercy asked, when the kiss ended and I resumed my butterfly kisses across her chest._

"_You taste like that…" I answered after leaving a hickey on the underside of her boob. "…and I plan to suck you completely dry."_

"_You're licking in the wrong place if you plan to suck me dry, hon," Mercy whimpered. I could tell my baby was itching to come, but I knew the longer I make her wait, the better it'd feel when she finally did._

"_I gotta get you as wet as I can, if I want my fill, darlin."_

_Then Cedes shut up and ran her fingers through my hair. I kept teasing her, licking her nipples and kissing her belly button, then I slid my fingers inside her to see how much cream she had made already. When I actually felt her release a fresh wave right onto my digits, I couldn't wait any longer._

_I got comfortable between her legs, and gave her thighs another lick while finally parting the folds of her pussy. Then I French-kissed her whole va-jay-jay area for about a minute. I wanted to find out where she was most sensitive; plus, I had every intention of drinking her down._

_When Mercy-mine shivered or gasped, I made a note of where exactly my lips were, so I could revisit that spot directly later on. Between my lips moving across her vulva, and my tongue darting in and out softly along her pussy, I knew exactly where to concentrate my attention. _

_Sliding one finger inside her pussy while circling her clit slowly with my tongue made Mercy grab my ears and gyrate. Then she lifted her legs over my shoulders so I could get even closer. When she moaned I added more pressure to her clit._

_Mercy likes to joke about me having an oral fixation, but she's probably more right than she knows. I got a serious boner from the sensation of that bundle of nerves against my mouth. Wrapping my lips around her clit and sucking lightly felt and tasted like heaven._

_Mercy thrust her hips against my face right then, and I could tell she was only a few minutes away from coming, but I wasn't done with her yet. I left her clit alone, after giving it a see-you-later smooch, and removed my fingers from her hole._

_I made my tongue as stiff as I could and stuffed it inside Mercy's pussy. As I licked around the inside of her walls I felt another wave of cream release directly onto my tongue. I wanted more, so I worked my way deeper with sloppy kisses, moving my face side-to-side, then reached up to fondle her nipples. I couldn't really breathe right then, but I'd always been a really good swimmer, and it was completely worth the exercise for my lungs._

_When I couldn't hold my breath any longer, I removed my tongue and gave Mercy another French twat kiss, then slid two fingers inside to find her g-spot. Mercy was basically begging me to get her off at this point._

"_Baby, please please please I wanna come, will you please make me come…"_

"_You want me to put my lips back on your little clit and suck, don't you baby?" I asked with my mouth still pressed against her wetness. "Say the magic word again."_

_Please please, Sammy baby let me come, make me come, I wanna come so bad baby. Please…" she babbled._

_With manners like that I couldn't torture her any more so I sucked on her clit, rubbing my tongue over the hood while sliding my fingers in and out. I felt her muscles clench around my fingers so I curved my fingers in a "come-here" motion. By the time I felt her coat my hand again, my baby was screaming out loud._

"_Oh shit, fuck, damn, Sammy…God you're the best. You're sooooo goddamn good at this. I love your lips, your tongue, your hands, I love you baby, don't stop, don't stop, DOOOON'T STOOOOP!"_

_The last "don't stop" was a wail, and I'm pretty sure she hit a high "F" when she screamed it. It was also unnecessary, since I couldn't have pulled my fingers out right then if I'd wanted to. She was tight anyway, and the orgasm was making her tighter. After Mercy's walls relaxed, I pulled them out and sucked on them again. Then I put my lips directly against her hole to suck at her juices and used my thumbs to continue playing with her clit._

_Mercy didn't pass out this time, but she was seriously catatonic when I came up all sticky and slick with her offering. I licked my lips and she grabbed my face for a deep kiss._

_You gotta love a woman who knows exactly where a dude's mouth has just been, but doesn't hesitate to kiss him anyway._

"_Thanks, baby," I murmured when the kiss ended._

_Mercy slapped my arm and laughed, "Why on earth are you thanking me right now?"_

"_I've been wanting to get my face in between your thighs all summer," I told her; I was dead serious._

"_Then you're extremely welcome," Mercy replied. "But we should probably wash these sheets and air the room out before Dwight and Mary get back, if we want to be allowed in this room alone again, like…ever!"_

"_Don't say my parents' names ever again when we do this, but darlin', your wish is my command," I answered._

_So we put our clothes back on and got rid of the evidence..._

_ ...Even back then, I knew Mercy-mine well enough to know that she would be a little shy the next time we saw each other. I mean, it is pretty intimate to put your face in someone else's crotch…But she wasn't at all. Two days later, Mercy and I were having a moonlit picnic in the park after I got off work when, she surprised me by telling me she wanted me to be her first._

_We were listening to a play list on her iPod and kissing, when that old Mariah Carey song "Fourth of July" came on. Mariah had just finished singing the part about the girl in the song being scared, but wanting to stay pressed against her boyfriend and leave the world behind. Then Mercy sat up, blushed prettily, and said she had always loved this song because of how loving and romantic it was. Then she told me she wanted to share her first time with me, on the 4th of July. Mercedes wanted to know if I was willing to spend the evening with her instead of going to the Glee fireworks-n-bbq bash at the Berry's._

_When I picked my jaw up off the ground, I told her I would love to. Even without the promise of sex, I'd rather be with Mercy than anyone else. Since the two of us still weren't a couple officially, per our agreement; we were still a secret. I honestly had no problem missing out on watching Mercy dance around with Tina (who loves to grind) and Tana (who is notorious for being grabby) while keeping my hands to myself. Plus, who in the hell knew what passed for BBQ in a vegan household?_

_Mercy informed me that her parents would be gone, spending the holiday with Matthew's fiance's family. I knew my parents already knew she would be alone since they talk to the Joneses so much. My own family was leaving on the 3rd after church to visit MeeMaw in Nashville. Even if they hadn't been, though, they wouldn't forbid me to go. Dad gave me the "since you're a man, now, you can do what you want within reason" talk not too long ago. As long as I was truthful, I wouldn't have a problem getting permission for the sleepover._

_So we spent the next few minutes making our plans._

**~End Flashback~**

Since I spend our last tipsy night in Vegas remembering the day that changed our relationship forever, I didn't get very much sleep. The next morning Mercy-mine, me, and her parents woke up super early. We left the Wonder Twins snoring in their room to take the 3 hour drive west to meet her new boss in LA. The production offices were really impressive, and Mr. Chism, her producer was a great guy. He even introduced Mercy to a few of the artists she'd be providing background vocals for. Even Doc Jones breathed a sigh of relief to find out all of it was legitimate.

By the time we made it back to Vegas it was a little before noon. We got our bags together, called the bellman, and checked out of the Palms so we could hop on our flight back to Ohio.


	11. Playlist

**A/N: This chapter was originally supposed to be dedicated to "The *gasp* First Time," as a lead-in to the next few. In my mind, the story can only be effectively if I draw parallels from summer 2011 to summer 2012. So while Samcedes from 2012 are going around hanging with their homies, they also will be reminiscing about when their crew found out they were a couple. **

**I was all set to write a steamy, sexy, but still cute-sy sex scene describing the Fourth of July mutual deflowering. It's what got them together (finally) as an official couple. I couldn't though…I felt like a complete creeper writing the sexy times in the last few chapters. I never really convinced myself that the scenes I wrote were actually steam-worthy, plus it was super embarrassing to type that stuff out. I mean, my KIDS use this computer to do HOMEWORK!**

**So instead I wrote another flashback chapter, which will provide a lead-in to the next few installments. If something sexy pops off, just use your imagination, cause I really can't muster the balls to write any more of that stuff. ****Raunchy t**alk, I can do it all day. Sex lessons or Truth or Dare? Bring it on! But actual sex scenes? No way...**  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own this show or its characters**

* * *

_Many people on the outside of a relationship take a lot of comfort in defining said couple in terms of a particular action or familiar phrase. For instance, whenever discussing Mike and Tina, their friends always manage to bring up tears or Asian kisses. Whenever Brittany and Santana are mentioned, lady kisses are brought into the conversation. And the mere thought of Puck, circa his pairing with Zizes, conjured up images of headlocks and nuggies. In a similar manner, most Gleeks in would equate the relationship between Sam and Mercedes with eye-sex._

_From the moment the members of New Directions found out that the two had been dating behind their backs, most Gleeks wondered why they hadn't discovered the relationship on their own. The couple was not only very close for people who had never really seemed friendly at all...They also spent an inordinate amount of time gazing longingly into each others' eyes. Some of the looks generated between the couple were sweetly loving, while others were downright predatory; but they were all intense and laced with emotion._

_Most of the time, the looks were a product of something that reminded the two of the first time they ever made love. Certain love songs sang in Glee mirrored phrases sang in the songs Mercedes played on that fateful afternoon. Other times, a friend might mention something the same color of the wrap dress that Sam's girl wore that day. Mercedes faced constant reminders of the meal they shared prior to completing the act. In fact, the for much of the time Mercedes dated Shane, Sam used these memories to re-solidify his place in Mercedes' heart. The blonde boy often turned bodily and peered at Mercedes through his eyelashes, long enough to see if the girl had remembered whatever he had just thought about. More often than not, Mercedes had._

_Sam and Mercedes had not taken the decision to make love lightly, and it showed in the comfort they had with the choice to become intimate. Most teens take this step amid feelings of indecision and discomfort, but this was nowhere near the case for Sam and Mercedes. Unlike many of their friends, Sam and Mercedes didn't choose to indulge in sex because of high emotions, reckless natures, or rampant hormones. They simply used sex to express love and mutual respect. The result was that sex never caused any rifts in the relationship, instead it brought the two closer._

_The morning of July 4 dawned beautiful and sunny. Mercedes woke up and immediately went downstairs to cook breakfast for her parents. Their plans to spend the next two days with their future in-laws in Columbus could have very well included their teen daughter, but Mercedes knew her parents would appreciate a holiday spent in the company of other adults. When Danica entered the kitchen and asked what her daughters plans were for the next two days, Mercedes truthfully told her mom she was looking forward to spending time with Sam._

_Danica was vaguely aware of her child's plans, as Mary had informed her that Sam had asked for permission to stay with Mercedes that night. She chose not to bring up the topic, though; she simply thanked her daughter for breakfast and wished her a fun and careful holiday. Then Danica went back upstairs to help her husband finish his last minute packing._

_By 10:00 am, the elder Joneses were in the car getting ready to begin their drive to Columbus. They left money for food and an emergency credit card, the whole time instructing their daughter to have fun. After receiving an indulgent kiss from Benton and a knowing hug from Danica, Mercedes closed the car door on her parents and returned to her room._

_In the Evans motel room, Sam woke up early as well. As he lay in his parents' bed and visually traced the patterns in the ceiling, the teen boy thought about the lecture he had received from his parents the afternoon before. Sam had decided to tell his parents that he planned to spend the evening with his soon-to-be girlfriend. He had been given permission to do so, but was obligated to listen while they warned him to be careful._

_Because Danica had already told Mary that Mercedes was planning to share her virginity with Sam, Mrs. Evans chose not to dwell on the sexual aspect of their impending overnight date. She and Dani had already decided that they would not forbid their children from becoming intimate, because they felt the two would be expressing genuine love. She did, however speak with Sam about tendency toward rash behavior. . After sitting down with Dwight and Sam on the sofa after church, Mary had very clearly articulated her concerns, and advised her son to think before doing anything. When Sam had promised to consider the repercussions and consequences of his actions before acting at all, Mary allowed Dwight to chime in._

_Dwight, like Benton, was not in the proverbial loop about the magnitude of the kids' intentions. He was wise enough to realize though, that the children could very easily get carried away if allowed too much freedom. During his portion of the lecture, Mr. Evans made sure his son was prepared for anything that MIGHT happen, and insisted that he prove how prepared he was by opening his wallet. A blushing Sam had obliged, and listened while Dwight threatened him with severe bodily harm, should he do anything to disrespect or pressure "Hershey Mercy."_

_As Sam remembered all of the issues his parents had forced him to think about, he decided to take extra steps to ensure that Mercedes was comfortable, before acting on their decision to make love. The relationship, in his eyes, was the best he had ever hoped for...even without the titles of boyfriend and girlfriend. They trusted one another, had a really satisfying physical life, and were closer to each other than they were to anyone else. _

_Honestly, Sam only had that two concerns about the future of his relationship: One, the fact that they weren't a technical couple, which meant he had no prior claim on her time, and could do nothing if another boy were to ask her out. And two, the new member of Mercedes' church who obviously wanted her affections for himself. _

_Sam didn't want to make his new relationship uncomfortable, or potentially create a rift between them by moving too fast._

_Sam arrived at Mercedes' home at 4:00 pm, ready to help her prepare the agreed-upon dinner of steak, broccoli, baked potatoes and corn on the cob. When Mercedes opened the door, Sam broke into a huge grin at the sight of his beautiful non-girlfriend. She was wearing a pale pink knee length dress and very high heels that looked very much like those worn by Minnie Mouse. The dress was a wrap-around style that showed a fair amount of cleavage, and was knotted near Mercedes' right hip. Even though his hands itched to reach out and untie the knot, Sam merely accepted his kiss hello, and entered her home._

_While cooking, Sam broached the subject of Shane Tinsley in a playful manner, wanting to find out if Mercedes showed any interest in the large teen's attention. As far as Sam could tell, Mercedes truly could not tell that the boy even liked her! Shen Sam pointed out the very rude and unnecessary comments the large teen had made a habit of directing at him, Mercedes defended Tinsley, saying that Sam was too sensitive. Sam was sure that he had a very determined rival on his hands, but decided to let the subject drop instead of trying to convince Mercedes. After dinner the two washed dishes together, and Sam broached the subject of waiting awhile longer._

_While wiping a plate, Sam asked Mercedes if she was completely sure about making love with him that night. Mercedes could instinctively tell that Sam wasn't asking this to avoid sex with her, but out of a desire to move at her pace. More in love, and more determined than ever, Mercedes dropped her dish towel and led Sam up stairs to her bedroom._

_Once there, Mercedes adjusted the overhead lights using a dimmer switch on her wall, and pressed play on her iPod so that the playlist she'd made would be projected through her docking station. The song, "Say Yes," by Floetry wasn't one that Sam had ever heard before, but he quickly figured out the subliminal message Mercedes was sending him with the lyrics. As he watched in awe, Mercedes removed the dress she wore by untying the knot and unwrapping it from her body._

_Instead of playful underwear with superhero insignia, or simple lingerie in his favorite colors, Mercedes had obviously made a conscious effort to be extra sexy that night. She wore, what could have been called a teddy or a merry widow, if it had been a one piece garment. The top of her body was encased in a beautiful lavender bustier with demi-bra cups and pale pink accents. It was extremely low-cut, and didn't cover much flesh beyond her nipples. The bustier utilized corset laces, which shaped her body and showed off her hourglass figure. The bottom portion was a very short skirt, with pale pink ruffles along the bottom. She still wore her high heels._

_By the time Mercedes had crossed the room to sit beside Sam on the bed, Janet Jackson's "Anytime, Anyplace" was playing, and Sam kissed Mercedes hungrily while listening to the lyrics. When Ms. Jackson made mention of a "hand moving up my thigh," Sam had already made the decision to softly caress Mercedes' skin._

_It didn't take long for Sam to realize that all of Mercedes' musical choices had a purpose, and that he was meant to take cues from the lyrics of the sexy songs. When Marques Houston sang "Let your panties hit the floor," Mercedes' did. When Janet Jackson asked "Would you mind kissing me all over my body," Sam did. Then Joe sang "69 was a very good year," and the couple immediately decided to see if it was true._

_After engaging in the type of foreplay they had been indulging themselves in for weeks, Sam and Mercedes eventually deemed themselves ready for the final act. As Sam broke gently through Mercedes' barrier, it wasn't lost on him that D'Angelo chose that moment to wail "How does it feel?" seductively. Sam , like Usher, had been "waiting for this for so long..." and was proud that (despite it being his first time too) he could go "Nice and Slow," just like Mercedes obviously wanted him to._

_Afterward, Sam was concerned for Mercedes, worried that she might be in some pain or discomfort. When he tried to pull her in to a cuddle, so that they could fall asleep, Sam was met with resistance. Mercedes climbed on top of Sam, whispering softly in his ear to listen to the song playing. Sam realized the vocalist had just promised to keep "rocking...until the cops come knocking." Taking this as a cue to make love to Mercedes again, Sam did._

_All afternoon Sam and Mercedes explored one another's bodies while learning what the other liked best. Sam was surprised by how much he loved it when Mercedes stayed on top of his body to take control of the lovemaking; Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat" was now his favorite song. When he pulled Mercedes to her knees and entered her from behind, Mercedes squeal rivaled the one being sang about in The Dream's "Falsetto."_

_When the playlists last song, Prince's "Do Me, Baby" was over, Mercedes and Sam got up to shower together. Sam jokingly accused his lover of creating a playlist for the specific purpose of seducing him. After pointing out that Mercedes' sexy soundtrack only consisted of R&B music that he had never heard, Mercedes shyly told him it was the sexiest music she knew. In retaliation, Mercedes challenged Sam to create one of his own, using whichever genre of music he felt was the most sensual. After accepting the challenge, Sam led his lady to bed, and went to sleep with her wrapped in his arms._

* * *

**Playlist:  
Floetry- "Say Yes"  
**

**J Holiday- "Bed"  
**

**Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne- "Motivation"  
**

**Janet Jackson- "Anytime, Anyplace"  
**

**Marques Houston- "Naked"  
**

**Janet Jackson- "Would You Mind"  
**

**Joe- "Love Scene"  
**

**D'angelo- "Untitled-How Does It Feel"  
**

**Usher- "Nice and Slow"  
**

**Maxwell- "Til the Cops Come Knocking"  
**

**Aaliyah- "Rock the Boat"  
**

**The Dream- "Falsetto"  
**

**Prince- "Do Me, Baby"  
**

* * *

**A/N: Big ups to all the people following this story and adding it as a favorite. All of your guys' reviews have really helped me guide the story thus far. Since there are only around 7 chapters left, I want you all to be prepared for some drama (remember, by the time school starts Mercedes isn't mentioned at all, and Sam is all hugged up with Britt). **

**I haven't decided what exactly will be the cause of the rift, but I do know that the couple will have to separate against their will (again). I also know that they will find themselves in some trouble with the parents. Whatever it is, it will have already been foreshadowed in the story. I'm actually laying the groundwork for a few things right now. Don't stress yourselves, though…That stuff wont be going on until mid-August at the earliest. Gotta decide where I want it to go first, anyway.**


	12. Month of Revelations Pt 1

**A/N: This picks back up right after the trip to Vegas...No major family vacations or anything, but a little Glee fun made its way in here. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own this show or its characters.**

* * *

**Sam POV:**

July 1, 2012

The Sunday after me and the Jones family got back from Vegas, Mercy and I were up early. It was the night after our impromptu sleep over in Santana's pool house, and we were actually a little hung over. We managed to get up anyway, and went to both our homes to get ready for Mass. By the time the service was over, she and I were hungry, and decided to hit KFC for lunch.

'Cedes and I had, stupidly, decided to throw a get-together this evening in honor of Sugar. She was the only person we hadn't picked up a souvenir for (since she's like totally rich and could buy Vegas if she wanted to), and Mercy says making a fuss over her would be the best present ever for a girl like her. Instead of our usual barbecue, we decided to have a sit-down dinner. Mercedes' parents weren't coming home until after dark, so she and I could take over the kitchen. While eating our chicken, we planned the menu and sent out a bunch of reminder texts to all the invitees.

Mercy and I were also gonna have to get packed soon, since we were leaving on Tuesday for Orlando and her family reunion. We were meeting up with my family in Kentucky, then flying the remainder of the way together. She and I were so behind, we kept joking about just using all the money we had left over from our Vegas envelope to just buy new clothes in Florida. It wasn't a completely horrible idea, just wasteful. I couldn't live with the thought of spending money when it could be collecting interest in the bank, so I offered to do all of Mercy's packing for her. Surprisingly, she took me up on my offer.

When we got back to Mercy's, her parents had taken off, just like they promised; so we started to get everything ready. We figured a one-pan type of meal would be best so she made a huge lasagna from scratch. While she "built" her sauce out of tomato paste, fresh onions and peppers, herbs, and a bottle of red wine from her mom's stash, I got the extra dining room table leaves out of the basement storage room and polished them up. Then I ran the vacuum and wiped the plates and silverware down. By the time 'Cedes had pushed the pan into the oven, I was running lettuce through the salad spinner and chopping cucumbers. Mercedes and I decided to bake an apple pie, two sweet potato pies, and a peach cobbler for dessert. We went to Publix and got Sugar a cake with "Happy Sugar Day" written across it in pink and red letters. Finally, we had already made a huge batch of homemade ice cream, which was in the freezer getting solid.

Sugar arrived first, with Rory and Finn (who I guessed was their driver). We gave Rory his leprechaun tee shirt, and jokingly told him that Mercy's dad had worn one when he hit the jackpot. Finn really loved his fedora, and promised to give Kurt his when he got home. Neither of us asked where he or Rachel was, nor did we even try to pretend like we had a gift for her.

Next was Bartana, who all looked pretty hung over from the night before. Satan was demanding that somebody give her something starchy, preferably bread sticks from her favorite restaurant. Mercy went to get her a few slices of garlic bread while I gave her the shot glasses we got her, then I presented Britt with the huge stuffed tiger from the Sigfried and Roy show. She really liked it, so much that she jumped up and down squealing. Artie really dug his new gloves; apparently the suede lining and leather joints made them a lot fancier than the ones he usually wore.

Then Joe, Quinn, and Unique all showed up together. Quinn had actually gotten really into gospel music, back when she lived with Mercy, and sometimes she gets a craving for it that can't be denied. Unique is his church choir's Mercedes, (although he directs instead of singing lead on the days he comes as Wade) so if Quinn can't find Mercedes when she needs her fix, she goes with Unique. Joe is a cool kid, the most nonjudgmental guy I've ever met…he'll go anywhere in the name of learning more about God.

Half the reason I got Joe a gift from the Star Trek tour was so he could get acquainted with things he'd never been introduced to. He liked it, even if he didn't understand it yet. Quinn started reading her gondolier book before they even made it in the door good. And Mercy had apparently gotten Unique the same black toga-dress that she got herself on her shopping trip in Vegas...Unique went crazy.

By the time Puck showed up with Blaine, Tina and Mike; Mercy was plating the food and calling us over to the table. The four of them would have to open their gifts later but we were pretty sure they would be a big hit, too.

Mercy and I sat at the head and foot of the table since we were the hosts, and everyone else found a place around Sugar. After Joe blessed the food, we all ate while everyone took turns raising toasts (we were drinking an Evans Family holiday punch-unspiked) to Sugar. We were having great time, when Santana brought up the pink elephant in the room.

"So, Trouty and Wheezy; you two planning on dropping in on Lady-Face and the Hobbit this summer, or did they finally piss you off enough to say 'fuck it?'"

I look over at Mercy and she gives me a small shake of her head. I know her well enough to realize it means she hasn't really given it any thought.

"Thanks, Santana for injecting a shot of awkwardness into an otherwise lovely occasion!" Blaine said, wearing a fake smile.

Mercy looks down at her lap just then, and it's pretty obvious to me she doesn't want anyone to look her in the eye.

"Well, San has a point you guys…" Britt said. "…we had a blast hanging with Samcedes, and I bet Rachel and Kurt would both feel really left out if you didn't make some time for them too."

_Leave it to Britt to try and consider Rachel's feelings._

"I say, if Rachel doesn't wanna spend her time feeling left out, she shouldn't be running around being a bitch all the time…" Puck put in. "Satan told her about herself back when she was acting a fool about that whole Anti-Prom, and it looked like she was over her shit. Then they gift wrapped prom queen for her; which I didn't get, since it was just basically rewarding the shitty-ass behavior...But Berry _still_ can't be a better person and quit acting like a jealous freak!"

_And leave it to Puck to inject a little ass-holery into the conversation. He did have a point, though._

"I agree with Puck," Artie continued. "It was completely unnecessary to post all those things online, and Rachel shouldn't expect to be treated like a friend when she's incapable of it herself."

Mercedes looked at me right then, I guess touched because it looked like she had all her friends on her side.

"But what about Kurt?" Tina broke in. "He and Mercedes have been through a lot together. While the rest of us were all falling in love and pairing off left and right those two really only had each other."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Finn nodding, I guess remembering back when Kurt was essentially friendless.

"Not true, Tina…" Quinn interrupted. "Sophomore year Mercy was basically my best friend. All three of us had sleepovers and stuff that you guys never came to. We had a lot of fun, but their friendship wasn't as perfect as you guys think it was."

"So you think those two were only friends because they were both lonely?" Mike asked.

"No, but I know some of the things Kurt has said in passing to Mercedes hurt her a lot more than the slushies Santana and I used to toss at her," Quinn admitted. "The only difference is that both Santana and I have apologized since we became friends. Kurt still hasn't."

Mercedes reached out and gripped Quinn's hand, letting her know there weren't any hard feelings.

"But you and 'Cedes weren't even tight Junior year, Quinn. Before he moved to Dalton it was just those two and Rachel." Puck said.

I guess Blaine didn't really want to hear all of our friends discuss a problem my girl was having with his boyfriend, because that's when he tried to diffuse the discussion.

"Guys, I'm not really sure how this got started, but I'm pretty sure if Mercedes and Sam are making the rounds of all their Glee friends this summer, then they'll make some time for Klaine," Blaine stated. "I know I'm looking forward to it, after hearing about the Truth or Dare game in the woods you guys had with Tike, and I can speak for Kurt when I say he definitely wants us to have a turn too."

"And I can speak for Sam and I when I say that we will not be discussing this at Sugar's party." Mercedes says, without addressing any of what our friends were saying.

"My baby's right…we will make our decisions about who we'll be hanging out with this summer some other time. Right now, it's time to celebrate the wonder that is Sugar Motta, so lets move this party downstairs!"

* * *

**Mercedes POV:**

July 2, 2012**  
**

I was really happy Sam had my back about the whole Chillin' with Klaine argument. I really did NOT want to spend any time at Sugar's party belaboring over whether or not we'd be dropping in on Kurt this summer. I really didn't know at that point, nor was I looking forward to thinking about it. After dinner, we all went downstairs to play games and digest the food. Everyone left around 10:30.

The next morning Sam decided to start packing my things for the family reunion, so he came over around 8 am to pick my brain about what I would need. I really hadn't expected him to REALLY pack for me. I figured he would throw a few tee shirts and shorts in a suitcase, look for my swimsuit and flip flops, then leave me the happy task of having to buy all new underwear and a toothbrush once we got to Orlando.

But Sammy was super organized. He'd packed up all his own stuff last night and brought his luggage over as a blueprint for my packing. Using the "what will Mercy be wearing when I'm wearing this" method of picking out clothing, Sam was done packing up my suitcases in less than an hour.

After we got done, we took a little time to discuss our upcoming anniversary. Fourth of July was the day Sam and I actually made love for the first time. More importantly, it's also the day we decided to fuck the haters and let our friends know we were together. I wanted us to celebrate our anniversary in a big way; maybe a firework show for all our friends and a pool party. Sam was all for a quiet dinner, just the two of us.

I don't want to tell him I think this, but being homeless is totally turning my man into a cheapskate. I get where he's coming from, I really do… He and his family went through a lot, and that kind of thing totally changes you. To be honest, if I wasn't such a big shopper I wouldn't really mind. But since I'm so used to just buying anything I want, I wish he'd be less scared of spending money. Its kind of a downer, and lately it makes me feel guilty when I make new purchases.

Sam kind of reminds me of my dad; a guy who grew up poor and can't get over it, even into adulthood. My dad makes well into six figures annually, and I catch him buying shoes from Target all the time.

It's kind of funny, because I can totally see us 20 years from now; with me hiding credit card bills and paying them on the sly while he flips out over our family budget. Maybe I'm exaggerating though, what'll probably end up happening is that we'll end up rubbing off on each other. I actually like the sound of that.

We still hadn't come to any conclusions about how to celebrate when we started to laugh about the conversation he and I had the morning after we made love that first time. It was pretty crazy how impossible it is for me to ever feel awkward around Sammy. He has this knack for injecting the right amount of levity into clumsy situations to relieve the pressure. A seriously icy type like Quinn or an uber-bitch like Santana would probably find it off putting, but I love how he can always change my mood without trying…

**~Flashback~**

_Last year, on the Fourth of July, Sam and I made love for the very first time. Despite the fact that we had been rounding the bases all summer and were very aware of how to satisfy one another without sex, we both wanted to share our first times together. It was amazing, a totally great experience, but I had no idea how self-conscious I'd feel lying in bed naked with Sam the next morning._

_Sam could tell I was about to make an excuse and run like hell for the bathroom, so he turned to me and asked, "Does this mean you'll be my girlfriend now?"_

_I nearly peed the bed laughing, mostly at how ridiculous I'd been about this whole no-labels thing. He was obviously the love of my life, and I was his. The fact was, that a label only changed how the rest of the world reacted to us._

_So I put on a serious face and joked "If you're ready to tell the world that all of this…" I gestured to the outline of my naked body under the bed sheet. "…belongs to you, then yes…I'll be your official girlfriend!"_

_"You're joking, but I've been ready to shout it to the world and mark my territory since May!" Sam told me, then reached over the side of the bed for his phone in the pocket of his pants. "So, girlfriend, I can make us Facebook official and tag you when I post love song lyrics, and "at" you on Twitter?"_

_"Now hold the hell up, boyfriend.." I answered him. "I do NOT want to be another Finchel, those two update social media with so much crap about themselves and their relationship I hate going online now."_

_"Baby, we couldn't be as annoying as Finchel if we tried…" Sam said. "For one thing, no one likes Rachel and people only like Finn when he wins football games. You and I are universally well-loved."_

He's not wrong, actually.

_"Plus, we are something those two will never be…" Sam continued._

_"And what might that be?"_

_"…Hot!" Sam answered. "Come on, you know damn well when people find out about us Britt's gonna try to see if I'm willing to watch you two get down with the lady kisses, Puck's gonna offer to make a video, and Satan will try to sell tickets!"_

I'm laughing at how silly he is, and how truthful his words actually are. Our friends are perverts.

_"I'm saying, everything Finchel does is annoying but we're not about that life…"_

I really gotta stop watching Basketball Wives with Sam.

_"You're right, boo…tweet away!" I agreed._

_"I'm gonna text Mike now, too…" Sam continued, while typing away on his phone. "…I want him to stop throwing 'hints' that my little 'crush' on you might not be entirely healthy."_

_I stopped smiling to look at him like the crazy person he sounds like, and asked "What the hell?"_

_Sam finished his text and sent it off before answering me. "Yeah, Mike thinks I'm stalking you or something. He asked me last week why I talk about you so much, and said I'd have to rifle through your garbage to know all the stuff I do about the Jones family schedule…He says that maybe the stress of my home-life is causing me to fixate on the you, probably because you were my Prom date and that was the best time I had all last year."_

_Then he reached over me and handed me my phone._

_"Fucker thinks he's a shrink or something…" he groused. "I just texted and told him we're a couple now. Go ahead and send Tina one asking them to double date on Saturday."_

_"Okay…" I agreed. "But no Breadstixx."_

_I shot off the text and Tina called me right back._

_"Mercy, is Sam holding you hostage?" she asked without preamble. "Say the word 'duck' if he is, we'll get you out of there."_

_I put her crazy ass on speaker and told Sam, "They think you're holding me hostage."_

_At that point, Sam laughed so hard he fell off the bed. When Tina heard the **thump **she yelled "Mercy, what was that? Where are you? Are you hurt?"_

_I told her "Girl calm your crazy ass down! Sam fell off the bed laughing at you and Mike. We're at my house."_

_I probably said too much, because T went into automatic detective mode when she heard the word 'bed.'_

_"Bed, you and Sam are in bed? How long have you two been together? Are you two having sex? How in the hell did I miss this? Damn, I'm slipping!"_

_"'Damn, I'm slipping?' T? Really? To answer **some** of your extremely personal questions; we've been seeing each other unofficially since Prom. Officially, we decided to be a couple just today. You guys are the first ones to know. Where's Mike?"_

_"Oh, I told him not to speak, just in case I had to keep Sam calm by talking to him. That way he could slip away and call the Po-Po if Blondie was up to some shit."_

Asian intelligence ain't no joke.

_"Mike…" Sam broke in. "You're supposed to be my boy, is there any particular reason you find my new relationship so hard to believe?"_

_"Anyway guys, are we going out on a double date this Saturday or not?" I asked, before Mike could answer. "No Stixx!"_

_"I agree," said Sam, "how about we hang out at the arcade?"_

_"Damn, Mike-Samcedes is bossy as hell." joked Tina._

_"But they've got a point," Mike said. "We can order a pizza or wings in between playing games. Lets invite Santana, Britt and Artie too."_

_"I get Brittana, but Artie?" Sam asked, looking confused._

_"Yeah, they hang out a lot lately." Tina answered._

_"Artie's trying not to let his gamer tendencies overtake his summers this year," explained Mike. "He says he doesn't wanna end up alone and sad."_

_"Plus, Satan likes it when he brings his handicapped sticker." Tina concluded._

_"Wow..." Sam mouthed._

_"Okay, we're in..." I told them._

_"See you guys Saturday!" Tina exclaimed._

_That particular revelation was just the first of many.  
_

**~End Flashback~**

...Eventually, Sam and I decided to compromise on our anniversary plans. Since we'd be in Florida on the actual 4th, we'd plan the big firework show for the following Saturday. That way we could buy all of the pyrotechnics at 50% off after the holiday. Then we'd kick everyone out for a romantic late night dinner. Having no curfew totally rocks!

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys liked it! My next chapter is going to focus on the Jones Family Reunion. Since the Evans family is invited, I'm thinking it would be a great time for the daddies to give the love birds a talk...maybe along the lines of "what are your future plans looking like?" I honestly think at some point a parent should just grow some balls and just ask them what their long term goals are. Since the moms already got in some extra face time, it only makes sense.**

**Hope you like it!  
**


	13. Orlando Pt 1

**A/N: I am so sorry for the seriously long update time…I have been writing this, but it just wouldn't come together to my satisfaction. If you are reading **_**Chillin'**_** then you are actually ahead of this story, since the last chapter takes place after the Jones and Evans' families get back from Orlando. **

**This chapter features the dads, and a conversation that was long overdue. Samcedes is gonna have to let the 'rents know what they've been thinking, ya'll…I think it came out really great.**

**I will not be addressing the utter motherfuckery that the fourth season of Glee has become (well, outside of rolling my eyes and asking Jesus to take the wheel). I have no comments about Bram, and it took all of my mental strength to type Sam's name instead of "the blonde who shall remain unnamed." **

**Suffice it to say, I totally agree with the preponderance of opinion on Tumblr, when I say that this season isn't even worth the increase to my power bill that watching it would induce. So I'm staying far, far away. Fan fiction never fails, though.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee… you can tell because I like the characters more than the owners do.**

* * *

**Mercedes POV: **

Its Tuesday, the day before the Fourth of July; Sam and I are on a plane to Orlando, Florida. We're keeping Stevie and Stacie busy in our coach seats, while all four of the grownups enjoy the hot towels and blankets in business class. Sam and us Joneses drove my Tahoe to Lexington, Kentucky; then hopped a flight to Orlando with the Evanses. I say my Tahoe, because my daddy gave it to me yesterday when he came home with a spanking new Escalade. I guess pushing the Caddy crossover rental while we were in Vegas made Daddy want a little more luxury in his ride. The Chevy is only two years old, but they justified the extravagance by saying I needed a reliable vehicle in Los Angeles. Made me realize that maybe cheapskates _can_ get better; there may be hope for Sam yet.

My brothers and their girlfriends are about twelve hours into the seventeen hour road trip from Ohio to Florida. They're taking turns driving, and bringing Daddy's new whip out so he can show it off at the Reunion.

It really makes me happy to see both the Evans and Jones families doing something like this together. I mean, our parents have been close for a minute…they've been doing double dates and hanging out like friends practically since they met. But we've never actually gone on a trip, or did anything whole-family oriented like this together.

Part of the reason, obviously, is that the Evans family wasn't able financially to take part in anything really elaborate. Plus they're so proud they'd never take a handout. That's not an issue this year, since Mama and Daddy had to pay for everything when we RSVP'd to the reunion. But I also think we are all finally starting to act like a real family. When people bond for real, there's no reason for keeping ledgers and making sure everything is even. It looks like we're finally in a place where that kind of stuff isn't important.

The next few days ought to be fun…there a lot of activities planned for everybody. Since the actual events don't kick off until tomorrow night, we're all gonna get checked in, eat dinner, and get up early for some unscheduled fun.

So we got in the taxi at the airport and headed to the hotel. The parents used the cab ride as an opportunity to tell Sam and me our bedroom options for the duration of the trip. We knew his dad and my mama were cool with us sharing a room, but my Daddy and his mom didn't like thinking about it. The only reason we got away with playing house in Vegas was because Daddy stayed fucked up the entire time. He never even noticed where Sam slept. That wasn't gonna happen here, on a trip with little kids in tow, so Sam and I figured we'd be on opposite sides of the hotel with at least five floors between us.

But the parents had put their heads together and come up with something more imaginative. Since my parents had booked two double-bedroom suites and one standard double room, we were given a choice. We could each split a suite with our respective parents and the twin of our choice, or we could share the double room with the twins there to chaperone.

Sam and I could see the upside to both choices. If we each roomed with our parents and a twin, then we wouldn't have to do too much in the way of helping out with the kids. What 8 year old would want to wake up a teenager in the middle of the night to take him or her to the bathroom or get a glass of water…. When they had parents (or substitute parents) just a door away? But if we took that choice, there was no way we were gonna get away with any nighttime creeping. Plus, that option put my brothers and their girlfriends in the double room. This meant they wouldn't be able to screw each other silly without an audience (or at least some kind of signal for the other ones to get lost). If we did that, my brothers would probably make me pay for cock-blocking them.

If we took option B, then Sam and I were probably gonna be responsible for the twins the whole time…if they got hungry or needed to be entertained it was all gonna be on us. Plus, with them in the other bed, we could sleep together but probably wouldn't be able to get it in. The only way we could possibly have sex is if we went in the bathroom, and I'm seriously squickish about that kind of stuff (which my Daddy knows me well enough to guess). I don't really have a problem with shower sex, though.

In the end, Sam and I couldn't resist the cuddle time; so we decided to let the parents share one suite while my bros took the other one. We could tell the parents were looking forward to hanging out together anyway, plus we'd been exempt from childcare all summer. It was only fair. I'd probably be running out to Wal-mart for a Wii and some dolls before Friday, though…just to make sure Stacie and Stevie stayed entertained and wouldn't have too much to complain about.

So we all got checked in at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and unpacked. The grownups wanted to have a double-date at some seafood restaurant that evening, so Sam and I took the twins to McDonalds and let them play in the PlayPlace. Then we headed back to the room and watched a movie. My bros eventually made it in with their ladies, and came by our room to thank us for letting them have the suite. Maya, Matt's fiancée, told us they had hit up a liquor store and bought some "refreshments," if we wanted to come hang out with them while they did a little "pre-gaming" before hitting a club that night. Sam and I took a rain check.

We decided to go to bed early, since Daddy and Dwight want me and Sam to go and play golf with them early tomorrow. In bed, Sam asked me whether Quinn had ever gone on vacation with my family. I told him no, since she moved back in with her mom after Beth was born. And last summer Quinn got ghost before we could hang out at all. That started us to talking about the day we told her we were a couple. It was funny to reflect on, but I swear that day felt like something out of the damn Twilight Zone…

**~Flashback~**

July 14, 2011

_The Thursday after we went bowling with Tina, Mike, Artie, Brittany, and Santana; Sam was off work so he and I decided to go down to the "artsy" area of Lima and hang out. There weren't any art galleries or museums in downtown Lima, obviously, but it's the part of town where creative types open up businesses. There's a Sips an Strokes, a Color Me Mine, a tattoo parlor, a sheet music store, The Lima Bean, this place that airbrushes tee shirts and license plates, and a store where a lot of pre-teens go to do sand art. Sam and I picked up a couple of iced coffees, bought some music at "Between the Sheets," and went made a few tee shirts for Stevie and Stacie for fun. _

_When we left the airbrush place we ran into Quinn Fabray leaving the tattoo parlor. It was pretty obvious she had just gotten some ink done, since she was wearing a crop top and had a big ass band-aid stuck to her tramp stamp area. Her hair was bright pink and she was smoking a cigarette._

_I had already heard from Tina that Quinn had gone off the deep end this summer, but this was the first time I'd seen the shit for myself. Apparently, she had been summoned to her dad's new post-divorce condo in Dayton at the start of June. She spent two weeks with her dad, having a great time and getting along really well. Quinn felt so comfortable she actually asked her dad if he had finally forgiven her for getting pregnant. He replied that he had, and she told him she forgave him for kicking her out of the house. Sounds good, right?_

_Wrong! That's when Daddy Fabray promised Quinn a thousand dollars a month allowance if she would leave her mom in Lima and move in with him. Everybody knew Russell was paying Quinn's mom four times that amount in alimony and child support, so Quinn read between the lines enough to ask her dad if this was just his way of screwing her mom out of his money. Russ figured honesty was the best policy, so he admitted that was part of the reason. The other part was the fact that he needed someone to run his household, cook his meals, and buy his clothes while he bedded down half the 22 year olds in Ohio. Basically, he wanted Quinn to take up where her mom left off._

_Que cussed his ass out, drove back to Lima, and then completely went off the grid. She started hanging out with the girls who call themselves "The Skanks" and hang out under the bleachers at school. I'm not sure where the hell they chill out in the summertime, but Quinn found their asses some kind of way. I'm pretty sure "skanks" is just teen code for "girl with daddy issues," so maybe they were helping each other out somehow._

_Tina told me that everybody in Glee had, at some point, tried to include Quinn in group activities after she got back; but she wasn't interested. Everyone says she was done with us for good, but I wasn't buying that shit. For one thing; one of those skanks could pass for my younger sister, and another one really resembles Lauren. So if she's not missing us its just because she has plenty of access to a few decent doppelgangers. Secondly; even if she didn't wanna see us right now…I knew she'd eventually be back. New Directions members always come back.*_

_Sam and I were holding hands when we saw Quinn, and dropped them before she spoke to us. _

"_So you two are together, now, huh?" She choked out around a puff of smoke. _

"_Yeah…" Sam answered. "You're not mad, are you? I mean, I wasn't trying to insult you after Jean's funeral; I just really liked Mercy."_

"_We wanted to tell you, you know…out of respect. I mean, we were like sisters way back when, I didn't want you to hear about us through the grapevine." Then I added, a little reproachfully, "But you haven't been around to tell…"_

"_I get it, Mercedes; no harm, no foul." She dropped the cigarette butt down and put it out with her toe as she continued "If it matters, I figured something was up after Nationals. That hug told me plenty."_

"_Well, what about you? How've you been?" I really wanted to keep her talking so I lied and said, "I like your hair!"_

"_Yeah, Quinn…Pink's a good color on you…"_

_My baby tries, but he's the worst liar in Lima._

"…_.you look kinda like a punk rocker Barbie!"_

_I roll my eyes at him and tell Quinn "I'm digging the new look, too."_

_She started to walk away and threw a "Whatever, I gotta go…See ya!" over her shoulder._

_Sam and I just shrugged our shoulders at each other and reached out for each other's hands again. _

**~End Flashback~**

…The memory of that crazy ass day made us laugh out loud. The twins fell asleep before the movie was even over, so we made out until sleep overcame the both of us. As I lay entwined with my boo, I decided that; sex or no sex, this was gonna be the best vacation of my life.

* * *

**Sam POV:**

July 4, 2012

Mercedes and I woke up the morning of the Fourth and got dressed to play golf with our dads. The hotel we were staying in had great course, so the dads invited us to hit a few balls and have a little talk. Mercedes once told me she loved golfing with Pop Jones, since it was one of the few sports that was conducive to having an actual conversation while playing. She also enjoys any activity she can buy a new outfit for. Mercy wore this short khaki skirt, a short sleeved white blouse, a checkered sweater vest ,and matching socks with her Keds. I had bought her a straw cowboy hat to wear when I pull out my Stetson, so she put that on to keep the sun out. I wore a collared golf shirt and lightweight shorts, with sneakers and a baseball hat.

Our dads went full-on Carlton Banks with their outfits…The most normal part of my dad's ensemble were his blue khaki pants. He had on a green golf shirt like mine, but on top of it he wore this pink sweater with green and blue golf clubs criss-crossed on the front. His pant legs were short enough to show off the fact that his socks were the same color pink and had the same golf clubs running down the sides. He finished his look with tan docksiders and a ridiculous checkered hat.

Mercy's dad was even more ludicrous, not because his clothes were any stranger, but because of the way he looks. Pop Jones is this big, dark complected, solid guy wearing a yellow, orange, and lavender striped sweater. He wore brown pants, a lavender belt and purple-and-white golf shoes. It was like looking at Terry Crews in a dress! We made fun of them for dressing preppie, but the dads gave us this whole spiel about proper golfing etiquette and respecting the course by wearing the correct attire. I personally think they just like buying new clothes for playing golf…just like Mercy.

When I see Pop Jones in his Easter-Egg colored clothes, I get this overwhelming sense of gratitude; it's a feeling I get whenever I'm reminded how well he accepts me as his little girl's boyfriend.

I mean, looking back, I know Doc Jones had to have been proud when Mercy came home introducing Shane as her new boyfriend. Shane was basically a younger version of Mercy's dad, physically. Shane is the same color, same stocky body type, and the same height as him; it's not hard to imagine Pop Jones being flattered that his little girl wanted a man just like him.

According to this magazine article I read in his dental office last year, a lot of Black women hate it when their sons bring White girlfriends home for them to meet. I guess the moms find it insulting that they could raise and love a boy his whole life; then realize the boy sees something else **entirely** as beautiful, when he becomes a man. The magazine was pretty off the wall; there was another article in there about how dangerous it is to buy little Black girls Barbie dolls…but you can't argue with the logic. So when Mercy introduced him to my lily-White, blonde, green-eyed ass… I figured her dad probably had a few moments of resentment.

I actually couldn't have been more wrong. He's never given me any reason to think he felt like that, and I'm pretty sure he liked something about me from the first day we met. Maybe I made a good impression on prom night. Or maybe he admired the way I had to work so hard to help my family. Mercy told me something not too long ago that I really I hope is true. She said that deep down, I'm more like her dad than Shane could ever be…she told me that had to be the man in his family at an early age, and that he's no stranger to hard work; so he recognizes that same stuff in me. That's probably why he accepts me into his heart so freely.

Whatever the reason, I'm super grateful that he isn't running around his church tying to set her up with boys that are more like him. After all that Shane drama last year, I'll be damned if I sleep on any more of that shit. If anybody else _ever_ tries to pull any of that "don't you wanna get with a brotha" mess with my woman; believe me when I say Trouty Mouth is gonna go all kinds of good ol' boy on their ass. And I'd hate to have to smack people down in the House of the Lord.

We get to the golf course, drive onto the fairway, and tee off. We all did a little bit of shit talking, while me and Mercy waited for the dads to start their lecture.

My dad started the inquisition with, "Hershey and Sam, how long have the two of you been a couple now?"

We looked at each other as we each puzzled the question over mentally. It wasn't as easy to answer as it should have been.

"Well, we've been really close ever since Santana broke up with him," Mercy started. "But we never really decided to date until right before Nationals in New York."

"I kind of consider Prom to be our anniversary, even though we weren't technically exclusive until the Fourth of July," I interrupted, trying not to think about what we did the night before we made it official. My blushing would have been a serious red flag.

"Then you have to consider the fact that we broke up while you were in Kentucky, and I was with Shane when you got back to Lima…" Mercy continued.

"Plus, you wouldn't even go out with me until right before your Senior Prom." I finished.

We looked each other in the eye and I said "So we basically treat the Fourth like it was the beginning of our relationship…"

And she chimed in with "…and just ignore the gap like it never happened!"

The dads were giving each other looks like they regretted asking, when Pop Jones asked the next question.

"So, a year into the relationship, you guys ought to have an idea of what you want in the future…right?"

I answered first, babbling my ass off. "Yes, we do… I mean, at one point we kind of figured we'd get married as soon as I graduated. Mercedes and I love each other a lot. And we like the idea of growing up together."

Then Mercy told him, "But the fun we've been having this summer has been a real eye opener. We've had these great family vacations and hung out with all of our friends and experienced so much together. It's been great, but we realize its only been so good because we had responsible adults footing all the bills."

"Mercy and I agree that we can accomplish a lot more in life if we do certain things before settling down for good," I added.

Mercy's dad looks really happy to hear that, and my own looks a little disappointed, but Mercedes kept going.

"I want to make my mark on the music industry without having to worry about neglecting my newlywed husband…." Mercy directed this statement to my dad, who looked like he was thinking about what she was saying.

"And you guys know school is hard enough for me without trying to support a wife while attempting to pass college courses," I continued. I knew Mercy's dad was worried about me taking care of his little girl in the manner to which she'd become accustomed. He didn't have to worry…I already worked hard to spoil her now, so there was no way I'd give her my last name without a plan to give her whatever she wanted or needed. I just needed time to get to where I could.

"So I'm gonna live with Puck this year; hopefully having a roommate allow me to save some money up…"

"Then when I graduate from McKinley Mercy will get her own place, so I can move in with Puck." I said, just so her daddy wouldn't worry about us shacking up when I got to LA.

"If I stick to core classes I should be able to transfer them if I get an opportunity to move later on to another music hub-city…New York, maybe. Atlanta or Nashville would be good," Mercy continued. She has all these ideas about her brand of beauty being more acceptable in a Southern city, plus she knows I miss the South. We both hope we get an opportunity to live in Tennessee or Georgia before we get married.

"Same here, except I won't be applying to UCLA…maybe a technical school," I told them.

"Depending on if Puck's pool business goes anywhere, Sam might already have a job when he gets there."

"If not, I'll do whatever- construction, wait staff, retail, janitor, call center…somebody will hire me to do something."

"If we work hard we can at least count on getting an education; then make decisions about our careers together later on…"

"Yeah, if I never get a job working as an animator on a comic book series, I can at least turn an associates degree in drafting into a steady paycheck." It would only take two years, plus those ITT type places help you find work in your field after you graduate.

"Exactly; I may not have my Grammy when I graduate but I can always go to law school or teach." Mercedes helped me make a B+ in English, so she'd definitely be a great teacher. Or a law degree would come in handy for when she negotiated her contracts or whatever. I knew Pop and Mom Jones would foot the tuition bill if she decided to get one.

"And we'll decide what to do about our relationship then…" I finished, hoping they both saw we had been doing more than partying and selling clothes in the Salvation Army store this summer.

"But we're at least five years away from an engagement, so don't worry about us making any scary plans, okay?" Mercedes obviously wanted the dads to get on board really bad. She's a daddy's girl and couldn't stand it if he was disappointed in us.

"Well, Great!" Mercy's dad interrupted when we finally took a minute to catch our breaths. "My main concern was that you guys were wanting to get married right away or something…It sounds good to me. I'm down for helping whatever way I can."

Pop Jones looks really pleased.

"I actually wouldn't have minded a wedding in the Spring," my dad began. "But us parents all promised to be open-minded and listen to your plans, before tryin' to influence you one way or the other. Ya'll seem like you've given it a lot of thought, so as long as you two are planning your lives together I guess I can't complain," he finished.

Then his expression changed, he actually started to look pleased when he said "I'm still hopin' you two will move in together at some point before the engagement, since you make each other so happy…but count me in for helpin out, too."

"I can get with that, Dwight…especially if you two end up in Atlanta or Nashville together." Pop Jones agreed. "Baby-girl ain't never lived in the deep South. Sam can help her adjust better if they get a place together."

"So you guys approve?" I asked, just to make sure.

"And you think the moms will, too?" Mercy pondered.

"Hell-To-The-Yea!" the dads laughed, so me an 'Cedes joined in, then finished our golf game.

After the game, Cedes and I picked the kids up from Camp Hyatt…this program where kids get to take advantage of all the different resort activities available to them while the grown-ups have a little fun. I think our moms had a spa day while we golfed. Stevie couldn't quit talking about the bike ride and water slides, while Stacie went on and on about the crafts she made with a bunch of other little girls. We took the kids to our room to change, then lounged around the pool so I could do a little water sliding of my own. By the time the parents made it back, we were ready to go see the big planned fireworks show together. The next day was going to be the big kickoff picnic for the reunion, so we called it an early night and went to bed.

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**A/N: Again, this was sooooo hard to write. I apologize for the wait, and I totally appreciate your guys' patience.**

***Foreshadowing the Troubletone defection and subsequent rejoinder.**


	14. Orlando Pt 2

**A/N: Chapter 14 is a continuation of Mercedes' family reunion. I'm going to include a flashback to the day Samcedes found out the Evanses were moving, an evening Sam spends chilling with Mercedes' bros, and a lot of family fun.**

**I hope you guys like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or the characters of Glee. **

* * *

**Mercedes POV:**

July 5, 2012

The first day of the reunion was beautiful. I was the first one awake in our room, so I got up, showered and dressed myself in a pair of khaki skinny capris and the official Reunion tee shirt. By the time I'd pulled the top half of my 'fro into a topknot and left the bottom half down, the twins were up. I woke up Sam and sent him in to shower while I got the kids dressed in shorts and their own tees, then iron my boo's clothes so he could get dressed as well. When our entire room was ready, we called Mama, who asked us to meet in their room before going downstairs for the festivities. Part of the reason that the Jones family had decided book rooms at the Hyatt was so we wouldn't have to organize any of the reunion activities ourselves. A team of party planners employed by the hotel had come up with the structure for all the family fun, so all we really had to do was show up. That day, we had a bonding breakfast buffet in one of the hotel's conference rooms, catered by some restaurant in Orlando. While we ate, the head planner (a woman named Sharon Marie, who was anal-retentive and annoying as hell) outlined the day's activities.

A major part of the Jones Family Reunion Tradition for the last decade is this series of tournaments and contests, where teams of Jones family members come together and compete for points. It's a lot like the House Competition in the Harry Potter books, except instead of everybody being divided into four houses, the family is split into teams (or as I prefer, clans-with-a-C-not-a-K) headed by Daddy, his siblings, and their first cousins. Kids and grandkids are welcome to participate, as are family friends; and every sport or activity that each family member participates in, could potentially bring more points in toward the final total. The top three teams in each contest are awarded Clan points. So the crew with the most points by the end of the day is declared the winner, and would go home with a big-ass trophy plus bragging rights for the next year.

For the last six years, my Daddy's first cousin Lenny has been the big-deal winner, and his victories have nothing to do with his clan being any more athletic or better competitors than the rest of the family. The reason why they always kick everybody's butts? It's cause there're so many of their asses. I'm serious; Lenny's been married three times, and each of his ex-wives had three kids. So if you count Lenny, his nine grown kids (most of whom usually bring a significant other), and his two or three grandkids; its pretty much a given for Lenny to bring between fifteen and twenty competitors to the reunion every year. When you also consider the fact that they all enter multiple contests, it's pretty easy to see how quickly the points add up for the Lenny!Fam crew.

This year Daddy was determined to show his ass up. He had it all planned…we brought the whole Evans family, as well as my brothers' girlfriends; which brought our clan total to twelve; and Daddy made us all promise to compete in clumps. That way if any of us lucked up and won something, it would bring double the points to our clan's total. Daddy's been watching, waiting, and planning this coup for a minute.

After putting our heads together the Jones/Evans crew decided to enter Stevie and Stacie in all of the picnic-type races. You know; sack races, cake walks, 3-legged races, spoon/egg relays, pie eating contests… stuff like that. We figured they'd win us a few points at the very least, and have a good time between breakfast and lunch. There was this kids' swim relay after lunch that they wanted to enter, too.

Daddy made Sam and my brothers promise to enter all the sports tournaments together, and join the same teams. The sports teams are picked the same way teams are chosen in gym class, but the captains are always the same people…So Daddy keeps muttering to anybody who'll listen to him that his nephew Jon better make sure Marc, Matt, and Sam all got on the same squads. I'm pretty sure Daddy's using blackmail and free dental visits to make sure it goes down like he wants. There was going to be a round robin basketball tournament, a touch football playoff, and a softball game series for the guys to compete in. If that stuff didn't drain him too much, Sam also promised to enter the tag team swim relay with Melissa. She's Marcus's girlfriend.

Mama and Mrs. Mary were all about entering a BBQ cook-off together using a combination of Ms. Mary's grilling technique and Mama's sauce. They'd been tweaking recipes and trying stuff out all summer separately, and this was actually the first time since June that they'd been able to work together in the same place. The moms had all these secret ingredients and fresh herbs in little baggies that looked like marijuana they kept sniffing and worrying over. They were totally bringing A-games to this thing, so none of us were worried about them getting beat. They were also gonna partner up in the Bridge competition.

Me and my brothers' girlfriends thought it would be fun to enter some of the kiddie-type stuff. There were jump rope and Double-Dutch contests, and a Just Dance tournament on the Wii. Melissa was talking about joining the Michael Jackson Experience tournament with Maya, while I participated in a old-school Sonic The Hedgehog game. After that, Maya and me were thinking about playing in the volleyball match, even though we're both short-asses and will probably be shot down in the first round. If Missy and Sam decide to swim, Maya and I will probably get in on the Spades tournament, as well.

But the biggest, longest, most important contest happening that day…was the golf tournament. It was the most competitive thing going on; partly because it was worth the most clan-points, and partly because it lasted most of the day. Joining in on that thing was basically the same as putting all your eggs in the same basket. It was a gamble, but the winners of the golf competition had won the big prize every year for the past ten...so it was a pretty cool bet to make. This year Daddy was praying that his secret weapon (Dwight) would ensure that the championship trophy made it's way home to Lima. He was so excited he was vibrating with nerves. Everybody in the family gave Dwight and Daddy big "good-luck" hugs halfway through breakfast so they could go over to the golf course.

After breakfast was over, Sam and I flirted with each other quietly while waiting for the sign up sheets to make their way over to us; then my cousin Gerry tapped me on the shoulder. He and I are first cousins, born a month apart. Gerry's family used to live in Lima, but his parents moved everybody to Atlanta not too long ago. We have a lot in common; older brothers, similar tastes in movies and music, and a love for purple accessories. Of course for me, those accessories tend to be beanies and heels; while Gerry prefers bowties and fedoras. In fact, Gerry's the whole reason I got tricked into thinking Kurt was straight sophomore year.

No one believes me when I say this, but my gaydar is just as good as anybody else's…I mean, I knew Satan was into chicks before she ever admitted it to _anybody_. It's just that being so close to Gerry my whole life taught me not judge a book by its seriously gay-looking cover. Gerry's thin, a real snazzy dresser, loves shoes, and spends more time in the barber shop than I do in the nail salon. But Gerry's straight. He's so damn straight, in fact; that I caught him fucking his girlfriend in my bathroom the last time he came to Ohio for a visit. Gerry's just really, really conscious of how he looks. When he tapped me, I immediately complimented him on his style choices.

"Cedes, what up baby girl?"

"What up with you, boo…gimme that watch!"

It was a gold Movado with a purple face and a cheetah print wristband. Right up my alley.

"Shit, gimme yours…" Gerry countered. Mine was a cute blue Men's Fossil with this cool Chinese character on the face. The he changed the subject. "So what's up with the White folks? They on y'alls team?"

After I spent a minute giggling at the "y'all" since; come on, they've only been in Atlanta for 4 years…I answered him.

"Yes, they are. This is my boo, Sam Evans." I gestured so Gerry could shake his hand. "His family will be competing with us."

Sam got this really goofy look on his face when he heard Gerry's name, I know it was because I'd given him my explanation for why I was so gullible about Kurt. Sam shook Gerry's hand and gave him a bro-fist (something he rarely does with frou-frou type dudes) and pursed his lips to give me this really incredulous look. I guess the look of judgment was Sam's way of letting me know he didn't find my cousin metro sexual enough to warrant my confusion. Gerry must be more butch than the way I'd described him to Sam.

"Nice to meet you. Mercy's told me all about you," Sam said.

"You too, dude…so what's your deal, man? You look kinda sporty to me. You planning on getting on any teams?"

I knew where this was going, but I stayed out of it. I just let Sam toot his own horn.

"Fuck yeah…Basketball, football, baseball, maybe swimming relay." Sam bragged.

"Cool," Gerry nodded. "My big bros sent me over here to find out whether I need to join y'alls team or let somebody else pick me."

Sam looked really flabbergasted, I guess he wasn't listening when I told him how competitive my fam is. I decided to lay a couple of things out in plain English for him.

"Sam, remember when I told you Jon and Frank were always two of the team captains since the games were their idea ten years ago?" He nodded. "Well, those are Gerry's big brothers. Daddy's already told Jon to pick you, Matt, and Marcus in all three sports. Gerry's just trying to see if he should join with you three or another one. Trying to boost his clan points."

"So are you any good?" Gerry asked.

"Mercy, am I any good?" Sam asked me, cockily. I knew a damn double entendre when I heard one, but I just ignored that part and let Gerry know he wanted on Team!Sam.

"Cuz, make Sam the QB in football, power forward on the B-Ball court, and short-stop on the baseball diamond; then you can't lose…"

That's when Sam chimed in. "She's right, dude."

"Oh, I trust her…" Gerry asserted. "Mercedes' word was all I really needed to hear. See you later, teammate!" Then he ran off to tell his brothers what was up.

Jon got Sam and my brothers on his teams, and just like I predicted…they brought first place point totals back to our crew in all three sports. While Sam was out getting all sweaty, Stevie kicked ass in the Mario Kart-a-Thon and came in second in the hot dog eating contest. Stacie killed the sack race and hula-hoop contest…my sista-girl won both of them. Then the twins hooked up with Jon's youngest son and came in third in the relay swim race.

The moms put all the other teams to shame with their barbecue, just like we all expected them too. Then they surprised us by coming in second in the Bridge game. I have no clue how they managed win any tricks, since every time I came over to see how they were doing they were really engaged in gossiping their asses off. But whatever…their strategy obviously worked.

Me and the girls couldn't really compete with the kiddies playing Just Dance; we were seriously outclassed. But we beat those kids' asses at Double-Dutch. We had to let 'em know…cause I've been best friends with two jump ropes since I could walk good; and the same goes for Missy and Maya. When Sam came in and dragged Missy away for the tag team swim race, me and Maya punked everybody out at Spades. Came in second behind Gerry and his bro Frank. It was fun as hell talking shit while we played the last hand to find out the final winner. Matt and Marc came in third. By the time Missy and Sam came running back in to where the tables were set up to brag about winning the swim race, we had already decided to go over to the golf course and cheer on Daddy and Dwight.

I'm not gonna go into any long drawn out description of the part of the last golf game that we saw…just know that Daddy and Dwight came in 10 strokes under Lenny and his son Perry. They won the first place points, and secured the victory for Daddy's crew. Our win wasn't official at that point, but we celebrated like it was at the 18th hole. Then the reunion organizers reminded the golf players and everybody else that hadn't eaten yet that there was a buffet set up in one of the hotel's meeting rooms. Then Sharon Marie made sure to remind everybody not to be late for the awards ceremony that night.

Daddy and Dwight were about to leave and have a late lunch, when Marcus came back from circulating…he was all bowed up and mad, saying he heard Lenny talking a bunch of shit about how Daddy had an unfair advantage because golf is a white man's game. Marc's too respectful to cuss Lenny out or lay into him, but he was seriously pissed off. Dwight and Sam didn't even get offended, though. Dwight kept asking "What about Tiger Woods?" while Sam reminded us over and over that he, Mr. Lily White, had been the top scorer in the basketball tournament. Daddy just shook his head and told us to let his cousin keep drinking on his hater-ade.

Afterward, we all got showered and dressed for the big formal dinner and awards ceremony being held in the ballroom. Sam wore this gorgeous cerulean blue dress shirt and navy slacks with this paisley tie that looked like a bunch of colliding shades of blue against a tan background. He even put on the square-toed camel-colored dress shoes I bought him on sale. I gotta say, my baby is so hot when he gets all pretty-boy. I wore this dress I'd found that was, for lack of better explanation, Superman blue. It was kind of cowl-necked and had these adorable half-sleeves that made it look dressier than most of my other sundresses. The bodice was kind of overlaid with lace and low cut with an empire waist and the bottom was really flowy. I wore tan heels and gold jewelry, and Mama kept turning around once we were seated to take our pictures, saying over and over how cute Sam and I looked.

The food was great, they were serving this whole surf-and-turf type of deal and even the kids were cool with their burgers and fish sticks combo. After dessert, we watched as every individual family received a small trophy while Sharon Marie called out each team's total score. When the top three families were called to the podium, Lenny's family took up more space than the rest of us combined. Lenny looked like he was gonna snatch the damn trophy and run outta there before Sharon Marie even said who the winner was. He didn't, though…and Team Benton was announced victorious! Then Daddy gave his speech and thanked his "new family members" for helping to make his dream come true. We all noticed Lenny crossing his arms over his chest and rolling his eyes, and I guess it was too much for Stacie, who develops more and more of her mom's sassiness every damn day. Stacie ran up to Daddy and jumped up into his arms like I used to do, planting little kisses all over his face. Then she told him as loud as she could "they sippin on Hater-ade, Daddy Bent…but I got your back!" Everybody in the audience cracked the hell up, since they saw Lenny acting salty, too. I heard one of Daddy's aunties say "That lil white child act _just_ _like_ Mercedes when she was young!" Auntie was probably right.

Finally, all the awards for "Oldest Family Member," "Youngest Family Member," "Best Dunk Shot," "Best Dancer," and a bunch of others were given out. I thought Sam and me were a shoo-in for the cutest couple award, but Dwight and Mary got it instead. Sam got an award for "Team MVP," though. The winners got these gift cards for whatever place the organizers deemed appropriate for them. MVP got $100 at FootLocker, Cutest Couple got dinner at RuthChris, Best Dancer got $100 at FYE, and so on. After the ceremony we all danced our asses off, with Mary being the first one to suggest the Electric Slide…then we all went to bed. Sam and I were so wired when we finally laid down that we actually stayed up to talk for awhile. We were so happy and everything, both of us made mention of the fact that all of the fun we were having seemed too good to be true. I reminded Sam how cool last summer was, too…before we got the news he was moving, that is. Sam just held onto me tight, and made me promise not to think about all of that. I gave him my word, but it was really hard not to remember…

**~Flashback~**

July 18, 2011

_Black Monday started out really great. I worked at my dad's office for a few hours, then drove over to Sam's church to pick up the twins from Bible Camp. The kids were really jumpy, and I knew they wouldn't want to be holed up in the motel room. So I took them to Burger King for lunch so we could eat and play in the castle. _

_While we ate, Stevie and Stacie tripped me out talking about their day. Stevie was complaining about how Sam accidentally packed their book bags wrong before dropping them off on the way to his job. Apparently Stevie had to spend the whole day getting picked on because he ate his snack out of a Disney Princess lunch box. Stevie kept me rolling, because he threatened to call Sam, Samantha for the rest of the day. I guess his Bible Camp friends had been calling him Stephanie and he wanted to pay it forward._

_Stacie kept interrupting her brother to tell me about her day and show me the barrette she'd made in crafts that day. It was made of macaroni noodles, pink glitter, and lots of glue…Stacie felt bad because she'd wanted to make me a purple one, but had run out of time. It sounded like a fun way to spend the afternoon, so I promised her we'd go to the store and pick up supplies to do it together later that day._

_After we ate and played, the three of us ran by Hobby Lobby for crafting supplies; then we drove to the American Family to get started. Stacie and I made my barrette and Stevie used the puffy paint and some fabric to make a headband for Sam. It kind of looked like the ones they wear on Karate movies; except Stevie had drawn a dollhouse on the front in green and hot pink. Even if the design wasn't Chinese characters, I have to say…Stevie's a great artist…the artwork was really accomplished._

_About 4:30 pm, Brittany showed up at the motel door, to take twins to her house for a sleepover. She told me Dwight and Mrs. Mary wanted me to wait there for Sam, since his parents had something to talk about with us alone. It kind of worried me, but I figured I'd find out what the problem was soon enough. _

_When Sam got home 30 minutes later I asked him what the deal was, and he was clueless too. So we put it out of our minds and got comfortable. _

_Sam and I had only been having sex for two weeks at that point in time, so "horny" was pretty much our natural state of being. Love's first blush, or whatever… It was really easy for us to get carried away, but we didn't go there since his parents were due home soon sometime before 8:00. That didn't stop us from getting each other off with our hands, though. Hey, I'm not THAT strong…I love feeling Sam's sexy fingers inside of me._

_When Dwight and Mrs. Mary showed up we were sitting on the sofa watching TV all innocent like; pretending that Sam hadn't just cleaned his fingers with his tongue and kissed me so I could taste myself. Mary gave us a knowing look, anyway, and beckoned us to the kitchen table start the talk._

"_Son, Mercedes… Do you remember last week when we went to Nashville to visit MeeMaw, and mentioned that nobody back home knew how bad our financial situation was?_

_We both nodded._

"_Well, while we were there, the twins let it slip in front of the family where we been living. Sam's uncle Jim blessed us out for keeping secrets, and then called his best friend and demanded that he give Dwight a job."_

_Sam and I looked at each other and started grinning…I'd been praying all summer for Dwight to find work._

"_Jimmy's friend Nick owns a construction company in Lexington, Kentucky and hired me-sight unseen- to work on a crew building a bank…" Dwight explained. _

_Sam and I gripped each other's hands and shot each other frightened looks, when we heard the location of the company._

"…_the job pays pretty well, and it's steady work for at least ten months! I'm so sorry to have to tell you two this but we Evanses will be moving to Kentucky; we'll be leaving early August."_

_I could tell Sam was about to argue with his parents, and I was formulating my own comments about Sam staying in Lima while they moved, but they shut us down before we could even get started. _

"_We don't want you two to feel like we're playing the parent card here; and we honestly thought about letting Sammy stay in Lima with a friend, but it's just not doable. So Sam… you'll be coming with us," Mrs. Mary told us, giving Sam a look that brooked no argument._

_By this time Sam's ears were red and he was vibrating with anger. I could tell he wasn't gonna be able to bite his tongue for too much longer. _

"_Before you say anything, son; just know that my job will pay the rent on the house Nick's gonna rent us, as well the utilities. But we're gonna need any income you can bring in to help keep our heads above water…"_

_Unlike Ms. Mary, Dwight looked guilty and apologetic. I actually kind of felt sorry for him…_

"…_and you have to know how sorry your mom and I are; but I promise you we can discuss your coming back for senior year when the time comes. By then Mary should have a job."_

"_What about me and Mercy?" Sam finally blustered out._

'_Yeah…" I gulped. "We need each other!"_

_Sam wrapped his arms around me so I'd feel somewhat comforted. _

"_We know that…we see how much you two mean to one another." Mrs. Mary replied. She actually seemed to soften a little. "Sam's happier with you than he was even before we got to Lima. But we can't make it right now without his help."_

"_But we promise son, were gonna make this up to you. Just give us a year and we'll do whatever we can to make sure you get your childhood back…"_

_That's when Dwight let us know what a struggle he'd been having, letting his son help support the family at all._

"…_I hate that you had to sacrifice any of your youth at all for our family, Sammy. But you have our word, that this is only temporary."_

"_But Mercy is graduating…" Sam argued. "…When I get back she'll be in college somewhere!'_

_His parents gave each other a look that told me they'd already considered this._

"_If you two love one another like I think you do, you can weather the storm together," was Mrs. Mary's reply._

"_Yeah," Dwight intervened. "Remember the truck you've been helping Burt overhaul? Well, Jimmy loaned me enough money to buy it for you, Sam. It's real small…gets great gas mileage, and it's more reliable than your's is. It'll get back and forth to Lima, no problem."_

_I guess Sam was over being respectful by this point, because he sounded downright pissed when he answered his dad._

"_If I'm working all the time to pay bills and going to school, when exactly am I gonna have the time or money to come see Mercy?" Sam asked angrily._

_I put my own two cents in by asking, "Plus, Sam will have to baby-sit after Mrs. Mary gets a job….He'll be too busy for us!"_

_I guess that was the little bit of perspective Sam needed to stop reacting to the news and focus on us. _

"_Baby, I couldn't get that busy if I had four jobs…"_

_Dwight and Mrs. Mary looked at each other proudly and shot these embarrassing looks Sam's way before speaking again._

"_See, you two…" Mrs. Mary asked. "…You're already thinking about what you're gonna have to do to make it work."_

"_And I never said you'd be paying the bills son. We just need you working to help with extras and gain a little bit of normalcy back." Dwight explained._

"_Yeah, Sammy; you hated having to see Stevie wearing the same faded high-water pants week after week and letting the kids miss out on field trips because we couldn't afford to pay for 'em. If you work and bring a couple hundred extra dollars into the house every week, we can make up for that. We all need this." _

_We didn't say anything but Dwight took our silence as acquiescence._

"_Just, trust in God you two. Pray it all works out. You found each other once…you'll be together again!" Dwight begged._

_After that, Sam and I were really frustrated and still kind of angry, so we asked to be excused. My parents were out on a date so we went to my house and made love silently in my room. The house was dark, and hot since I hadn't bothered to turn the AC on. Sweat dripped from our faces, and our slick bodies collided kind of roughly. My eyes burned with held-back tears and perspiration from Sam's damp hair as I used my nails to leave scratch marks in the flesh of his back. Sam gripped and squeezed my waist and butt so tightly I found bruises the next day, and left bite marks in my shoulder right before he came. After we both cried out in orgasm, we licked the sweat from each others' bodies and held hands in the dark. _

_Just before 10:00, we showered, turned on the AC, and went and sat on the sofa to finally talk about what we'd found out. I guess I was the one who was most afraid, because I couldn't hold back the question that was scaring me the most. _

"_Which one of us is gonna suggest we break up?" I asked, terrified that Sam would want to. _

_He was really quick to reassure me, and didn't hesitate to calm me down._

"_Not me, love…I've been waiting for you to come into my life since before I knew you. I ain't giving you up!" Sam said, more fiercely than I'd ever heard him speak._

_I loved him so much in that moment I couldn't help but kiss his face over and over. I smiled to let him know how relived I was that he felt that way. _

"_I completely agree, baby…I need you like I need air. You're mine, even if you take your body to Kentucky." I promised, while nuzzling my way into his chest._

_Then Sam lifted my hand and kissed my fingers before placing it over his heart._

_I looked into his eyes and he told me, "My heart's staying here in Lima."_

"_And you'll be taking mine with you," I agreed._

_So we decided that when he left, we'd use Skype, Yahoo!Messenger, and whatever else we had to, so we could see each other's faces. I offered to add a phone line to my cell phone plan for him, so he could upgrade to a smart phone and not over-use his pre-paid data allowance, but he shut me down. Said something about all the ex-boyfriends and girlfriends who end up on Judge Judy arguing over cell phone bills. I'm sure he was just trying to make me laugh. In the end, Sam just promised me he'd work hard and get back as soon as he could. Then we made love again._

_By the time my parents got home, they'd already heard from the Evanses about the move. So they let Sam stay past curfew. We ate a late dinner of sandwiches and chips, watched two Harry Potter movies, and held each other to forget was about to happen. Around 1 am Sam left to go give his parents the silent treatment, and I went to bed so I could finally cry my ass off._

**~End Flashback~**

…I probably woke myself up four times that night trying to get away from the dreams I kept having about that shitty ass day. Around 2 am, I sat up in bed and looked over at Sam's sleeping face. He was so beautiful, and special….I found it really scary that we almost didn't find each other. It was even scarier that we'd had to overcome so much just to stay a couple. Despite the great summer we'd been having, I suppose there would always be a part of me that expects things to come between Sam and I. The hard part was focusing on ignoring that shit. While I watched my love snore softly I decided to quit dwelling on our past and focus on our present and whatever our future held. So I lay back down, wrapped myself up in Sam's arms, and slept peacefully until the sun came up.

* * *

**Sam POV:**

July 6, 2012

That Friday was the day Mercy's family set aside for visiting all the theme parks in Orlando. It was really smart the way the planners organized things; they got everyone these universal tickets that would allow everyone access to the Walt Disney Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, Gatorland, and the Wet 'n Wild Water Park, in whatever combination they wanted. 'Cedes and I kind of figured we'd be on Stevie and Stacie duty the whole day, since we were pretty much in charge of them the whole vacation. But apparently three days and three nights of Sammy/'Cedes faux-parenting was enough for the twins, thank you very much. We overheard them telling Mom and Dad that they were sick of being our "practice kids" and that Mercy and me were too strict. Stacie complained that they were on vacation, and that she felt sorry for her future nieces and nephews because the two of us never even let them stay up late. And Stevie was sick of Mercy making him finish his veggies at every meal. So the plan was for the parents to take them to Disney before lunch, then visit SeaWorld for Stacie and the water park for Stevie afterward. I believe Mercy's parents were planning on going with them.

Since 'Cedes and I were gonna be kid-free, we made plans to go out with her brothers and their girls, each couple picking a park for us to spend between 3-3 ½ hours in. If we made sure to stick to the timetable and eat fast, we would see everything we wanted to. We all agreed, especially 'Cedes and me; cause if I hadn't already said it, Matt and Marc are hilarious.

Matt's 22; he graduated from Ohio State undergrad last year, and he's in his first year of law school at the Moritz College of Law now. He's really tall, maybe 6'5", but he's goofy as hell and a big ass softy. Matt kind of looks like Shane would if he was slimmer and didn't have any facial hair. Brown skin, low hair cut, clean cut, sort of stocky and athletic. He wears a lot of urban clothing, and has Timberland boots to match everything in his closet. If I didn't know him I'd assume he had a dangerous side, but I'd be dead wrong. Matt's more of a joker than a fighter. His fiancée' Maya, is originally from Louisiana but her family moved to Columbus her senior year in high school. According to Mercy, she speaks fluent French and whenever she's asked her race, she answers that she's Creole. Maya's really pretty. She kinda looks an older version of the little girl from that _Eve's Bayou_ movie I watched with Mercy…Everybody says that at one time Maya was lighter-skinned version of Mercedes, since they're the same height, and used to wear the same dress size. They both love animal prints, the color purple, and even went together to order those necklaces with the letters of their names made out of 14 karat gold letters on chains. Matt once told me how much those things cost, and I almost had a stroke. Maya told me once that her former weight problem was the result of a lot of things: baby fat, high school misery/comfort eating, and having a mom who was really good at cooking unhealthy but delicious Southern food. When she moved on campus freshman year and started playing IM volleyball and softball for fun, the pounds dropped off. She met Matt in the weight room that year, and they've been together ever since. I overhear him telling her to gain back a little bit of ass-weight all the time…his reason being that he doesn't have anywhere to rest his hands now.

Marcus is 21, and he's a senior at OSU. Mercy told me the hardest year of Marc's life was back when Matt had gone to college in Columbus and Marcus was still living in Lima. Those two are basically twins, the hard way...they were born exactly one year and nine days apart. They do everything together, too…they're roommates, teammates, even take their girls out together most of the time. If Matt's got a deceptively rough look, then Marc has a deceptively soft one. He's got this whole "pretty boy" deal happening in the style department. He's shorter than his bro; about my height and really slim. Same brown skin color, but he wears his hair in these tiny twists that he gets redone every few weeks so they won't lock up like Joe's dreads. He dresses a lot like Mike for everyday wear; he loves suspenders, fedoras, and vests. Whenever Marc gets an excuse to _really _dress up, he goes all out; dude's a big fan of top-hats and tails and alligator shoes that cost hundreds of dollars. Mercy once told me Marcus likes to emulate Steve Harvey, but to me he kind of looks like Cab Calloway. She really laughed her ass off when I said that. Marc's girl is named Melissa, but Mercy calls her Missy. She's the tallest of all the girls; a whopping 5'5" inches, and kind of built along the same lines as Santana. She's pretty, too… Missy has almond-shaped brown eyes, puffy cheeks like Mercy, and wears her hair in a short afro. She's is super athletic and competes in all kinds of sports; but when we play for fun she cheats her ass off. Missy found out early on that Marc has a seriously bad temper, and will beat the ass of anyone disrespecting him or his girl. We have that in common, actually. Missy digs it, just like Mercy does…calls her man a "pretty boy thug."

When the six of us get together we really have a blast. Maya and I bond over being Southern, Missy and I shoot basketball and play catch together. Mercy and Maya spend a lot of time shopping, and sometimes they get Marc to go to department stores with them by telling him there's a sale going on in Men's Furnishings. Me and Matt clown on each other all the time, since we're both AWSOMELY funny 100% of the time, and me and Marc enjoy getting tipsy and bragging to each other about all the assholes we've beat the hell out of in our lifetimes.

Matt and Maya won the complicated 3-way coin toss Mercy and her bros have perfected over the years, so the first thing we did that day was visit the Magic Kingdom. Maya loves anything having to do with fairy tales and Disney characters. We moved fast, and managed to hit everything she was looking the most forward to. We walked down Main Street, U.S.A and bought candied apples and fudge. Everybody got a pair of mouse ears and I let the dude in the barber shop give me a cut…cause, who am I to turn down a free haircut? We took pictures of Cinderella's castle, then went to Adventureland. We all rode the _Pirates of the Caribbean _ride before going to Frontierland so we could do _Big Thunder Mountain Railroad_ and _Splash Mountain_. Maya wanted to do _the Prince Charming Regal Carousel _and the _Mad Tea Party _in Fantasyland, but time was moving so she decided on _The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh _instead. Maya's a big kid, really.

Around noon, we hopped on the shuttle so we could visit Universal Orlando Resort, which was Mercy's and my (okay, mostly my) pick. The two parks both had stuff I wanted to do and see, so we were really pushing everybody to move it once we got there. In Universal Studios, we skipped Production Central, but we made a stop in New York so I could ride _Revenge of the Mummy, the Ride _and _Twister…Ride it Out_. They were awesome. Over in World Expo, Mercy insisted on going on _The Simpsons Ride_, since she loves Lisa so much. Then I fangirled my ass off on _Men in Black: Alien Attack_…but come on, how often do I get to hunt down aliens? Then we visited Woody Woodpecker's KidZone long enough to ride _E.T. Adventure _and take pictures with Barney. Everybody bought a bunch of stuff from Spongebob Storepants. Missy insisted we go to Hollywood, since she's crazy about Lucille Ball and wanted to go to the tribute museum. I didn't mind though, since Hellboy was walking around over there anyway and I wanted to get a picture for Facebook. We did all of this in around two hours, which left enough time for us to head next door to the Islands of Adventure.

We came in through the Port of Entry and bought food so we could eat while we walked; then immediately headed to Marvel Superhero Island. I rode the _Incredible Hulk Coaster _and _Doctor Doom's Fearfall_, both of which made my whole fucking day. I would have ridden more stuff, but I got sidetracked by getting my picture taken with Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Rogue, Spidey, and Captain America. I made up my mind right then that Mercedes and I were coming back here for our honeymoon whenever we got married. When I informed her that she'd be spending her wedding trip on Marvel Superhero Island, my girl looked at me like I'd lost my mind, but her bros and Missy threw me looks of jealousy and admiration for putting my foot down and demanding it. We skipped over Toon Lagoon and the Lost Continent, but spent the longest amount of time we could in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Mercy insisted on being allowed to drink Butterbeer, and Maya wanted to visit Honeydukes. We all went on _Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey,_ and it was a blast, but it only left us about thirty minutes to do everything else. So I took one for the team and agreed to only do one attraction in Jurassic Park. _The…River Adventure _was this cool water ride and we all got soaked. Then we ran through Seuss Landing to buy souvenirs. By the time we got to the shuttle so we could go back to the hotel and change, we were all exhausted and grinning like little kids.

Marcus and Missy were contemplating sacrificing some of their time so we could all go back to Islands of Adventure and do more, and I was all for it…but Mercy insisted they pick something more suited to them. So we spent an hour at Gatorland first. I tried to take pictures, but Mercedes was so scared of all the real-life monsters that she clutched at my sleeve the whole time, making it impossible to do anything but console her. We spent the remainder of Marcus' and Missy's time at Wet 'n Wild, where we ran into our parents and the twins. Mercy and me took the kids on all the rides they wanted to go on, since the parents looked pooped, and were rewarded with the promise of a full night's rest for the first time since we got here. Marc and Matt overheard my mom and dad offering to let the kids sleep in their room that evening, and I saw them give each other this weird look before they spoke. Then Marc suggested Mercy, Maya, and Missy have a sleepover in our room because he and Matt had something they wanted to talk to me about. I just put it out of my mind and went to find Mercedes so we could ride the thing that looks like a big toilet together. All the rides were great, and everybody had a blast. By the time we hit the shuttle to return to the Hyatt it was after 7 pm. The kids were asleep before they even made it to our parents room. Then my girl and I took a shower so we could get ready for our sleepovers.

I should admit that I was a little scared of whatever Mercy's bros were gonna say to me, mostly because I didn't know what to expect. I always thought those two were planning a "we're gonna kick your ass if you fuck over our sister" kinda talk at some point, but it never happened. So I figured whatever they had to say was something off-the-wall and beyond even my imagination. When Maya and Missy came in with overnight bags, hugging Mercedes, I left and went to the suite Matt and Marcus were sharing.

So, I get there and sit in the armchair they indicated was for me, while they each took a seat on opposite ends of the sofa. They looked kinda mean, but I figured that they could have just been fucking with me. Marcus pulled out a bottle of Ciroc and poured us each a double shot. I declined any water to mix it with, but took a couple ice cubes; and Matt started…I guess since he's the oldest.

"Aight, looky here Green-Eyes. You may be wondering what in the hell the two of us could possibly have to say to your ass, since you been with our sister all this time…"

_Okay, I guess this isn't going to be a nice talk…_

"Yeah, you and 'Cedes been kicking it for a year now," Marcus interrupted. "So you probably figured that if we had any intention of handing out some 'bitch betta treat my lil sister right' warnings, then we'd have handled that shit 365 days ago."

I nodded to let them know I'd been wondering about that. They looked at each other and went on.

"The truth is, Evans…Marcus and me wanted to get all in yo' ass after that first time you took BabySis to Prom," Matt admitted. "But Mama and Pop made us promise to give you a chance and not go there unless you fucked up some kind a way."

"Really?" I asked. "Mrs. Dani and Pop Jones liked me that much?" I couldn't help but smile at how flattered I was.

"I guess you could say that. See, Mercy was really fucked up in the head when you two hooked up; all depressed and lonely and shit…But then you came around with your impressions and whatnot, looking at her like she was the best damn thing you ever saw. All of a sudden Mercedes started looking all happy-like again; the whole family noticed that shit…" Marcus answered me. "…I guess Mama and Pop musta been praying for something good to come into her life. And they figured you were probably it. So they made us promise to give you fifty feet."

I kind of relaxed when I heard that. I also wondered what the hell "give me fifty feet" meant.

"So you got a free pass on us threatening to fuck you up. Then we found out you were moving, and we thought about giving you some 'friendly advice' about making sure you didn't cheat on our lil sis while you were gone…" Matt continued. "We knew it would kill Mercy if you got to Kentucky and started hooking up with random bitches. And we knew it would be even worse if the chick was the Cheeri-ho type. We wanted to warn you to watch yourself."

I know I must have looked kind of sheepish right then, because of all the Facebook drama.

"But we couldn't even justify that shit…" Marcus said. "The fact is, we could see all the Pussy-Ass Oreo Bitches at church trying to get up on you, and you never even noticed 'em. You ain't even the type to fuck around… so we didn't go there."

"Excuse me, but Pussy-Ass Oreo Bitches?" I broke in. I wasn't sure what that was and I didn't wanna miss anything they wanted to tell me. "What's that?"

Matt rolled his eyes and I could see him asking Jesus to take the wheel before finally deciding to explain it to me. "An Oreo is a Black woman who is attracted to White men. But see, the Pussy-Ass Bitch part comes in, when the chick ain't got any fucking balls or confidence. Hoes like that won't hit on a dude like you, unless she already knows he dates outside his race. So instead of risking any rejection, they flirt with guys that already have girlfriends and let them know they can hit it…." Matt answered.

_Okay, now I get it…_

"…See, there were at least five girls at church who wanted all up on your damn jock but you acted like they weren't even there."

"I don't see other girls when Mercy's around," I answered honestly.

"Well, you impressed us with your loyalty to 'Cedes, so we gave you another free pass on the Big-Bro talking to." Marcus said.

"Then you and Mercedes broke up, and we finally had a legit reason to call you up and scare the hell out of you…tell you to stay the fuck away from her, let her move on without all that on-again/off-again mess; but the 'rents pulled the plug outta that shit too." Matt kept going. "Mama told us you two weren't over yet, so we better stay out of your business."

"She was right…" I told him.

"That's why, when 'Cedes started dating Tinsley's bitch-ass, me and Matt decided not to waste any damn time. We didn't want Mama and Pop keeping us from doing our brotherly duty again, so Matt and me invited Rick Ross over to watch a football game and asked him what he was planning with our sister." Marcus said. "At the time we ain't have a reason to distrust him, so we felt like we owed him a fair shot at impressing us…"

"And did he?" I asked, kind of insulted.

"Well, in some ways we were all set to like him more that you, Evans. I mean, dude actually looks like us, so it was easy to assume we had more in common with him than we did with you…"

Matt kinda looked ashamed for thinking like that, but I nodded and shrugged to let him know I understood. Hell, I read _Jet_ magazine.

"…And it was pretty obvious she wasn't letting his dick anywhere near the stuff between her legs, unlike your pretty-boy ass." Matt sorta gave me a mean mug, so I averted my eyes while he finished. "So Big Poppa was already working with an advantage."

"We were hoping we'd like him, until that motherfucker opened his damn mouth… Sam, that fool spent two hours talking about his plans for the rest of his life. The cars he was gonna buy, where he was gonna live, how many kids he wanted, and what he wanted his house to look like…" Marcus added.

"Then he said the only thing missing was the right kinda girl; told us that the first time he ever saw MJ, he figured out exactly who he wanted to ease into the gap," Matt said in a disgusted-sounding voice.

"Yeah, he told everybody who would listen to him about his future plans," I told them, trying not to sound too jealous. In a way I understood, since I was planning my own future with her, too. I just didn't like the shit.

"Well, that asshole come out the side of his neck talking about how he had to have a woman who had her own career and money so he could be sure she wasn't a gold digger. Caterpillar face even fixed his mouth to tell us he was willing to support 'Cedes' in her career plans, up until she got her first Grammy; then he was gonna insist that she quit working to raise the kids." Marcus punched his fist into his open palm and cracked his knuckles in annoyance.

"If that wasn't enough bull-shittery, Ma-Fucker even bragged about how he helped break you two up…talking about how easy it was to fool 'Cedes into thinking his intentions were innocent and shit…" Matt shook his head and glowered before going on. "…How he was able to just sneak on into her life cause she was so lonely. I ain't even gonna lie, that broke our damn hearts, and it put that motherfucker on our shit list from then on out."

"Cool," I said.

"So we were glad when you and 'Cedes got back together, even though it's obvious you're _still_ sexing our little sis down every chance you get…"

Again, I averted my eyes. Marcus just kept going.

"…so we decided to do what we didn't get the chance to do last summer and hip you to a few things. First of all, you two seriously let that long distance bullshit fuck your relationship up last time. But it may have been a blessing in disguise. Cause now we know what to warn you to look out for. We can help you avoid the bullshit this go round."

I was just happy to have the two of them in my corner so I said, "Shoot…I'm all ears."

"We're planning on giving 'Cedes her own version of this talk before she leaves for college, but you need to make sure your damn loneliness doesn't turn you into a belligerent, jealous asshole again." Matt pointed at me and raised his voice slightly to make his point. "You need to g'one and get ready to share our sister with the world, man…She's gonna have gay dudes fawning all over her like an entourage, men in the entertainment business keeping tabs on her to see if she can make them some money, along with all kinds of motherfuckers trying to date her ass. But if you start that jealousy shit after she leaves, its gonna fuck you up the same way it did back then. So have some damn faith in your motherfucking relationship, dude!"

I nodded, since I had actually realized this part on my own.

"Right?" Marcus jumped in. "The biggest difference between now and then is that you managed to develop some serious swagger this past year…I ain't sure if boning our little sister taught you a little something about being Aint!Shit, or if it's because you were shaking your ass for a bunch of old ladies in Kentucky; but you need to use your new attitude and own the fact that your girl is ride or die. Trust it."

"I have swagger now?" If I did, it was news to me.

Matt ignored my question and chimed in with, "Number two: we heard about that skank-ass fake Cheerio and how you let her scam you into being her Facebook girlfriend. Chicks like that manipulate dudes without even trying, and after dealing with Satan and Quinn you shoulda known that shit. Quit putting yourself into awkward ass situations, boy…"

Just like Puck, Matt had to inject a little ass-holery into his comment before he finished.

"…Cause we know White boys don't feel complete unless you got a girlfriend to walk down the halls at school holding hands with; but you can't be friendly with every chick who shows you some attention, just because you miss spending time with a female."

_Remember what I said about Matt saying things that were probably racist, but still true?_

"What the hell is holding hands, anyway?" Marcus wondered. "Gimme a sneaky ass-pat in an empty classroom any day over that shit."

"Yeah, that kinda stuff makes Maya giggle her ass off," Matt added.

Again, I lowered my head since I know from experience it works on Mercy too.

"And we can just about guess who the next Cheerio to mind-fuck you is gonna be. Ain't Brittany coming back to McKinley?" Marcus asked me.

"Yeah, she is. Mercy already asked me to look out for her and try to help her out if she looks like she's having a hard time."

"My advice? Make sure Brittany knows you and she are cool, but keep reminding her that she's still in love with Santana. Otherwise she's gonna convince herself you two need to spend a lot more time together to keep from missing Mercy and Satan. And that shit ain't gonna end well." Matt advised. "So consider this your warning: hang out with your male friends, get a job to stay busy, and if all else fails call one of us…we got your back, lil bro."

I looked over to Marcus, to see if what Matt said applied to him, too. He nodded before saying, "Britt ain't exactly a she-bitch like her girlfriend is, but she's not gonna be opposed to using your company to make herself feel better. Especially if she and Satan break up. So, big bro to little bro; be on the lookout, dog…okay?" Marcus finished.

"I got you, _big bro_…" I said, emphasizing the term. I was grateful to them for the advice so I added, "If you two miss her, you know I got all the time in the world for you, too…right?"

"This sensitive mo-fo, right here…" Matt joked, jerking his head in my direction. Then he got up and bro-hugged me to let me know heard what I was saying.

"No wonder Puck calls you Samantha, asshole!" Marcus laughed, offering me some dap to acknowledge my offer too.

Then we found SportsCenter on TV and finished the fifth of vodka in silence. Matt and Marc went into their bedrooms and I slept on the sofa in the living room of the suite. The next morning we all woke up and had our Grand Finale Reunion breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Then the bros gave the rest of us a ride to the airport in the Escalade, before getting ready to drive back to Ohio with their girls. The rest of us flew to Lexington, where me and the Joneses said goodbye to my family. Then we hopped in the Tahoe and went back to Ohio.

* * *

**A/N: You know how sometimes you build something up in your head as scary or daunting and you avoid even attempting it because you feel like it's too big for you? Well, that's what happened with this chapter…I was so reluctant to do the research for the theme parks and whatnot that I basically wrote all the other parts weeks ago, and avoided finishing the chapter. So when I finally got around to it, the shit took me all of three hours and I felt like an idiot. Let this be a lesson to you all on the evils of procrastination.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys liked it. I had a great time writing the Bro!Sam part as well as all the Fam!Love.**

**I will be uploading chapters 4 and 5 of Chillin' today, as well. They fit in right after the reunion, time-wise. The next chapters shouldn't be long…I've written most of them already. On a completely unrelated note, I should have a couple of Puckcedes chapters up this week, too. So all of you following What I Want should like what's coming.**

**The planned Samcedes angst is coming…I'm shooting for the **_**denouement**_** to happen some time around chapter 18, so please enjoy the lovey-dovey stuff while you can…Thanks for the reviews, follows, and faves..**

**I love you guys so much it ain't funny!**


	15. Yosemite Pt 1

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to all of the people reading this who actively love DwightCedes. I just have to say, as a grown up Daddy's girl…I've basically spent the majority of my adulthood adopting more Daddies. I'm close to my boss at work, my father-in-law, my hubby's step-dad, all of his uncles, all of my uncles…etc. It's a dynamic I find so comforting I can't help but seek it out in every aspect of my life. Mercedes' relationship with Dwight is kind of a reflection of that. So I snuck a little bit of it in here.**

**I want to thank all the reviewers, people who favorited and those who follow me and/or this story. I really enjoy writing for you all.**

**Also, a HUGE shoutout goes out to Annikay. Your suggestions completely rocked and made the chapter way better. Also, Illiandyandra…your word love inspires us all, girl. Remind me not to ever plagiarize off of u! **

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever claimed ownership of Glee or its characters.**

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**Mercedes POV:**

July 25, 2012

A few days after Sam and I played _Halo _with the Glee boys, he and I drove to Kentucky in my re-gifted Tahoe so we could catch a plane to California with the Evans family. We got there just after 8pm, so we could sleep over and head to the airport on time for or 5am flight. This was the first time I had ever gone on vacation with Sam and his clan, so I was actually a little nervous. See, Jones family vacations are all about pampering and being lazy. We spend our days in air-conditioned places, eat in restaurants, and visit tourist attractions while keeping our clothes clean. Sam's family is all about the rough, the rugged, and the physical.

Sam's dad, Dwight works for this really huge construction company; he's been foreman on a big project since last May. The pay is great, and I'm happy they're doing so well these days, financially. But aside from the pay, the company offers certain perks to its key employees. Under his leadership, Dwight's crew completed all the quarterly deadlines, and came in under budget with no injuries. As a bonus, Dwight got free hotel and plane reservations for a family vacation at the National Park of his choice. A trip like this probably would have gone unclaimed in the Jones household; outdoorsy stuff is _not_ our thing. But the Evans family lives for hiking, rock climbing, rafting, and camping…they've been to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon so many times It's not funny. So Dwight chose Yosemite, since he's always heard central Eastern California is beautiful in the summer.

The 1,900+ miles flight was about 4 1/2 hours long, and we were actually flying back in time, so we made it into California just after 6am. We caught a cab and made our way to the Ahwahnee Hotel, where Dwight's boss had booked a three bedroom cottage for everyone. Stacie and I picked a room out for ourselves, which left the master bedroom for Mr. And Mrs. Evans and the left-over one for the boys. Then we spent about two hours unpacking and exploring the place. Dwight kept reading out loud from all these pamphlets left in the main room by hotel management about the history of the place. To be honest, nobody but Stevie and Sam showed any interest in it; and that was only when he read that the hotel was Stanly Kubrick's inspiration for The Overlook Hotel in _The Shining_. Mrs. Mary and I were too busy going crazy over all of the Native American artifacts, mid-western looking furnishings, and huge fireplaces. Stacie was occupied with trying to make sure the TV had cable. We had breakfast in the lobby and eventually we all decided to go for a hike.

Mary and Dwight decided, before the trip was even booked, that we wouldn't be renting a car to get around, so instead of paying the $20/day car usage fee inside the park, our family would using public transportation to get around. We hopped on the shuttle for the first of many times to go get some information from Park Service Office. After we discussed our options, everyone agreed that our first family hike would be along the trails with a view of the waterfalls in Yosemite Valley. We used the difficulty meters included on most of the literature, and decided we'd take on Vernal Falls Footbridge, Lower Yosemite Falls and the Mist Trail today.

Vernal Falls' trailhead was located really close to Curry Village, so we walked over from the office. According to the pamphlets, hiking to the footbridge is a great way to see the Mist Trail without having to sweat yourself to death tackling the entire Vernal or Nevada Falls trail. There were a lot of people there, and the kids kept stopping strangers to take pictures with the whole two mile hike. The walk itself was fun, and we weren't at all tired when we got there. It took about an hour and a half, then we immediately hauled ass to a shuttle bus in order to find the trailhead to the Mist Trail. It was a much longer and probably more exhausting hike, but it was also Yosemite's signature tourist experience. It took close to three hours, but was definitely worth the work. It was beautiful; we got to the top of Vernal Fall with hundreds of pictures, and the twins squealed for joy when we got covered with the spray. Finally, we went to Lower Yosemite Falls, which we knew would only take about thirty minutes. There was a waterfall there twice as high as the Empire State Building, and the wildlife was breathtaking. After that we walked half a mile back to the hotel.

By that time it was after 4pm, so we ordered Chinese and planned an afternoon nap. The kids were trying to cajole their parents into taking them for a swim in the pool later on, and got a tentative "yes" from Mrs. Mary. Since Dwight wasn't feeling taking that little field trip at all, he asked me to join him on a "Hershey Date" while Sam helped his mom corral the twins.

Last summer, sometimes when Mrs. Mary or Sam would come in early from work on a day he was there too, Dwight would ask me to go with him for a walk. Sometimes life in the motel got to be really hard for him, and he needed to decompress. Hanging out with me, being silly and talking about things that were bothering him helped in a way that discussing his problems with his wife never did. I guess Dwight felt like Mrs. Mary had her own set of issues and frustrations with the family's situation, and he didn't want to further burden her by compounding them with his. We'd talk about movies, music, and money…but usually our conversations ended up being about Sam. So I figured Dwight was planning on talking to me about the future of our relationship.

It's been pretty obvious since the beginning of the summer that he and my mom are pretty fierce about wanting us to get married sooner, rather than later. I understand my mom's point, since she and my Daddy were separated while he was in the Army. Back when me and Shane broke up, Mama finally told me why she hated my new boyfriend much. It wasn't the "cocoa babies," or the way he used to badmouth Sam (although that shit made Mama wanna cut his ass). No, she really just couldn't stand the way Shane pursued me, when he knew I already had a boyfriend. According to Mama, somebody tried to pull that same shit on her when she and Daddy were apart all those years ago. Mama caught Shane trying to capitalize on my loneliness last summer, and she never trusted him for a minute after that. Add to that the fact that she knew how miserable I was without Sam, and she can't see me being happy for real, before he and I make it official.

I guess I'm about to find out Dwight's reasons today. I mean, I know he loves me and he loves how happy I make Sam…but I also think there may be something going on even I don't know about. We walked for awhile in silence before Dwight got started.

"Mercy, you know you disappointed me and your mama with the whole 'five years before gettin' engaged' thing, right?"

He gave me one of Sam's lopsided grins while nudging me to let me know he wasn't angry at me.

"I know, Dwight. Believe me; it makes me sad, too…"

He must have seen how conflicted I was, because he put his arm around me while we walked.

"But Sam and I are determined to be practical about our future; stick to our plan." I asserted.

"I know, and I get it…" Dwight agreed. "…it's just; well, when I gave Sammy that money to spend on your Prom…I gave him too much on purpose because I figured he would probably start a ring fund." Dwight admitted.

"Can I tell you something?" I worried. "Sam did."

Dwight's face took on a huge smile, and I hated to burst his bubble, but I went on.

"But Sam has all these ideas about me needing a J-Lo sized pink diamond or some stone given by Henry VIII to one of his wives. If he could get his hands on that necklace the old lady threw in the ocean in _Titanic_, Sam would flip out! In all honesty, it's gonna take him awhile to save up enough to buy that kind of thing…so it all pretty much fits in with our plan to wait."

Dwight seemed to be contemplating what I'd just told him really hard, then asked. "Do you want a J-Lo sized pink diamond?"

"I want Sam." I told him. "I want Sam to be happy, and making a grand gesture is something he gets happy about. He likes having big goals."

It seemed like Dwight hadn't considered this yet. "Yeah, I almost forgot about the promise ring."

"Trust me, Sam didn't, and I know for a fact he doesn't want me comparing it to whatever he buys me. It's important to Sam that he shows me how far he'll go for our relationship. So I let him make his plans….It's the kind of thing that makes Sam, Sam."

"So you guys are waitin'…I get it." Dwight went on. "I just love the two of you together so much. Me and Dani just want to see you two happy. We got enough of the 'separated and depressed' Samcedes last summer."

I had to admit the man had a valid point. "You and me both, Dwight…but we'll make it work."

We walked in silence for a minute, and it was pretty clear Dwight was formulating his next statements.

"Another reason I was so glad you two were back together is because you push him to do great things. Do you know that before he joined that Glee club, Sammy never sang in public before?"

I knew it, but I wasn't sure where Dwight was going by telling me this.

"Well, I can't exactly take credit for that…I didn't make him join Glee!"

"No," Dwight conceded. "But you constantly pushed him to come out of his comfort zone last summer. Sam lived in the house with his Mama for 16 years before he ever met you. That boy heard songs by SVW and Boys II Men every day of his natural born life… And he couldn't have told you what any of 'em sang. But three weeks into datin' you, Sammy couldn't walk past his mama watchin' _Real Housewives of Atlanta_, without recognizin' Kandi as the girl from Xscape."

This was also a valid point. "That's true."

"My point is, you help my son see past the obvious. You won't understand this until you have your own kids, but the worst thing to happen to Sam last year wasn't gettin' dumped and cheated on over and over again. It wasn't even losin' the house and havin' to work so hard. The worst thing was what happened before that…when he tried to be some WB-looking Zack Morris/Dawson Leery/Brandon Walsh type so he could fit in at McKinley."

I thought about that and agreed with Dwight. "Yeah, I guess Sam _was_ trying really hard to be popular."

"See, Hershey, Sammy's different; marches to his own beat…and he shoulda been tryin to embrace his differences. It wasn't until he got with you that he really understood that…"

It was kinda nice to get credit for helping him; but to be fair I think being homeless had a little to do with Sam's new "don't give a fuck" attitude, too.

"My point, Hershey is…I think God has big plans in store for you two. I just want you to be ready for 'em. In my opinion, part of what makes y'all such a great couple is that you're better together than apart." Dwight continued excitedly. "Like, don't you think Sammy'd be a great performin' artist?"

I didn't hesitate to give him my answer. "I do; and I know he's gonna do something creative with all his talent. Sam's such a great artist, and good enough at math that I bet he could go into architecture just like you did. Or if Sam wanted to be a teacher like his Mom was, he'd be a great at coaching teams or directing a choir. Sam's whole purpose, his passion in life…it's all about making and doing beautiful things. I hope he pursues a music career, starts his own comic franchise, **and **becomes a voice-over artist for cartoons in his lifetime. He's capable of all of it."

"Now, that's me and your mama's point, Hershey…You push Sammy to greatness, and he pushes you too! I'm fixin' to tell you somethin' I haven't even said to Sam-Hand to God? I want him to be a singer, too. Just like you…I see the potential for the two of you to be famous together!"

That totally warmed me from the inside. Just the thought that Sam's Dad had no question about my future as a star…

"You're such a great dad, Dwight; I'm so glad you've been around to put that kind of bug in my own Daddy's ear. He's so supportive lately; thanks to you." I paused to give Dwight another hug. "But Sam's devotion to pop and country notwithstanding, I think growing up in your home is what makes him so talented. The key is his versatility. We all know Sam can sing country. But have you heard him sing gospel music? He's even better than Artie and you know Artie thinks he's Black for real!"

"You know his mama would love it if her son had a crossover career…Was it you who taught him vocal runs?"

"Yeah, I did. I never knew he had such a good ear, until he sang _Human Nature _to me. Then Sam rapped with the God Squad on Valentine's…like I said, versatile. He gets it from you…"

"Me?" Dwight seemed surprised.

"Yeah… That Rascal Flatts song you and Mama sang together at the BBQ? Totally on point… I've always said that the lead singer of that group had a great voice, and could definitely have an R&B career if he ever wanted one. Your voice is even better than his. I guess Blue-Eyed Soul runs in the family…"

I gave him a wink, then started walking again.

"I bet if Sam and his new wife were to make contacts in LA that resulted in a move to Atlanta, my son could totally break into R&B…even with his lily-white skin and green eyes!"

Now I get the look he gave me when I mentioned making my mark on the music industry without neglecting my husband. Dwight thinks Sam needs me to follow some of his more lofty ambitions. It's really flattering that he thinks his son's happiness is somehow connected to me, but I got to set him straight.

"What does Sam need me for?" I asked. "I could totally see him collaborating with Outkast or Usher; they're the kinds of artists that appreciate different sounds…and being lily white didn't exactly hurt Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke."

Then Dwight fixed me with this "who you think you foolin?" gaze and just answered with, "Sam's no Justin Bieber, though…my son has many gifts, but swagger _ain't _one of them!"

"Sam has plenty of swagger!" I argued. Just thinking about some of the stuff Sam comes up with when he ain't being about shit makes me glad no one can see me blush.

"And he didn't develop it until he fell in love with you!" Dwight shot back. I guess I can see his point.

"Sam really loves you, Hershey."

"Please Dwight, believe me when I say I love Sammy, too. Thinking about us being separated again makes me feel like I'm being stabbed in the heart! I can't wait until I can spend the rest of my life making him completely happy…"

"And you like all his geeky habits and goofy ways?"

The look on Dwight's face kind of reminds me of whenever Sam starts talking about the way Quinn and Tana tried to stifle his dorkiness last year, and it totally broke my heart.

"I adore his geeky habits and goofy ways…" I reassured Dwight. "I hope he never changes!"

"And I hope you never do, either…"

Then we made our way back to the hotel so we could make dinner together for the rest of the family.

* * *

**Sam POV:**

July 26, 2012

We'd only been in Yosemite for the better part of twelve hours when my dad decided to take Mercedes on a walk without me. He's actually been coming up with excuses to take her on "Hershey Dates" since last June; says he finds her "comforting" or something. The twins had been itching for us to take them swimming back at the hotel, anyway, so I went to help mom keep them under control. While we were there, I saw this girl wearing the same bathing suit as my favorite one of Mercy's. It was this black two piece where the top part was cut exactly like her fuschia junior prom dress, except it had a skinny halter strap that went around her neck. It was fitted to show off her waistline without showing very much skin, and the bottom was this pair of black booty shorts. They were as short as the ones I used to strip in, but do wonders for a girl with hips and ass-meat. And even though the stranger girl didn't look anywhere _near_ as hot as my girl does in it, seeing her reminded me of the day Mercedes decided to change her swimsuit style…

**~Flashback~**

July 23, 2011

_The first time Mercy and I ran into Lauren and Puck as a couple, was this time we decided to spend the day at Lima Public Community Pool. Most of the kids from school hung out there, even the ones who had their own in the backyard; but it was kind of like eating Breadstixx when everybody knew that the food was better at most of the pizza places in town. The social factor was the main reason to go. _

_I had finally worked my last shift at my job, so I planned to spend the whole day hanging in the sun with my girl. I got to her house around 9 a.m. and helped her pack a bag with towels, sunscreen and a beach ball. After finding shades and Mercy's poolside book, we packed a cooler full of food and took off._

_When we got to the pool, we were pretty much the first ones there, so we set up shop at a couple of lounge chairs placed in a position where I could get some sun while she avoided it. Mercy had just taken off her cover up to reveal a one piece tank suit and a pair of soccer shorts. I knew from experience that she'd swim in the shorts too. Then Lauren and Puck showed up._

_I gave Puck a bro-fist while Mercy offered Zizes some dap. Then we switched so Puck could get his Mercy-hug while I peppered Lauren's face with kisses. She let out this really girly un-Lauren-like giggle. Then they stripped down to their suits and sat in the nearest two loungers to us._

_What I am about to say next is gonna forever brand me as a chronic chubby chaser, but Zizes looked totally hot that day. Usually, she wears really comfortable clothing; loose shirts layered one on top of the other, gaucho pants, combat boots or flip flops…that kind of thing. Before that day I'd never seen her in anything that anyone would ever call sexy. Plus, unlike Mercy, she really can't do too much in the way of cutesy dressing anyway. Lauren is kind of pear-shaped, and much larger than Mercy's "slightly bigger than average" body type. Her tummy pretty much can't be hidden, and she doesn't have much of a waistline. She can't even pull off the skinny jeans and leggings Mercy wears since she's way more dimply. I love her to death, but Lauren definitely wears baggy clothes for a reason._

_Lauren must have lost at least 25 pounds since school ended, because that day she was wearing this two-piece swimsuit; and I didn't see a tummy roll anywhere. The suit was this cool Avatar-blue color, and the top was like one of Mercy's camis…only shorter and tighter. Zizes' tits are almost as big as Mercy's and she'd sized the suit so that they were kind of on display. The bottom of the bathing suit was a little black and blue plaid skirt. Like I said, Zizes was looking really hot._

_Mercy must have agreed with me because she whispered something about it to me first._

"_Damn, Lauren looks good…I wonder where she got her suit?"_

_I'm glad she said it to me, since I didn't wanna be an asshole and suggest 'Cedes go and buy a new one. I'd never say anything to offend Mercy, but something is really wrong if Lauren Zizes is looking hotter than she was. I mean, 'Cedes is built like a damn brick house… She's got no problem dressing sexy any other time, but swimwear is kinda like her Horcrux. _

"_I bet she'll tell you where it came from…" I told her, looking at Zizes one more time. _

"_Keep your eyes in your fucking head, Evans!" _

_Puck must have seen me peeking at his girl._

"_Just because you pulled Sexy Mama doesn't mean you can work your way up to mine."_

_That's when Mercy threw a towel at him for the "work your way up" part of his comment._

"_Artie told us about you two getting together, you guys are a cute couple…" Lauren started. "But, Evans, you need to lay off the tweets. You're getting as bad as Berry with the constant updates."_

_Mercy gave me the "See, I told you" look._

"_Fuck me for breathin', Lauren!" I defended. "I've had a secret girlfriend for over a month! The girl I love finally decided it was time for us to tell the world, so I got a little excited…Forgive me for having some updating to catch up on!"_

"_Damn, Cedes; you got Evans whipped already! I bow to your majesty," Zizes joked. _

"_You know I'm not like that, L-Boogie…" _

_Mercedes stood up and lay down on the same lounger as me as she continued._

"…_I just wasn't ready to deal with all the shit you guys went through last year. Especially at school…I mean, if we had told everybody before summer vacation started, you KNOW Santana probably would have wrote a song called 'Wheezy and My Sloppy Seconds,' then sung that bitch in Glee. And we're _still _worried that Quinn'll find Sam and slap him for rejecting her so he could get with all this..."_

_That's when she gestured to her body with her hands._

"_...Tina's gossiping ass would have tricked Britt into having me appear on "Fondue for Two" so she could grill me on YouTube…and who in the fuck has time for jealous Cheeri-hoes?" Mercy finished._

_I chimed in with, "Right? Plus, Rachel's all about talking people in to joining the Black Student Union with her. And Kurt already threatened to run me over with his Navie…Not to mention my home life being what it is; we didn't need the extra pressure from the outside."_

"_We get it, we get it…Kinda wish me and Lauren had thought of it that way," Puck answered after thinking for a minute. "But we took the bad ass route, just told the haters to suck my nuts and kept it moving."_

_I offered him a fist bump and told him "We'll keep that in mind for the future."_

_Lauren nodded her head and said "Look, Klaine's here."_

_We knew Kurt and Blaine were aware that the two of us were dating, but Kurt and 'Cedes had only spoken once or twice all summer long. The first time was a phone call Kurt made to Mercy so he could find out the nosy details of our relationship and fuss at her for keeping secrets. The second time was when all four of us went to dinner. Kurt spent the whole time talking about some plan Rachel was working on with Mr. Shue. Apparently, Berry had convinced our teacher that we lost at Nationals because the rest of the Club didn't rehearse as much as she did. According to Kurt, they had an idea for how we could do better in 2012. I wasn't paying too much attention, but I think I heard him mention something called Booty Camp. Since I knew I wasn't going to be helping New Directions get there, I kept my trap shut about assholes kissing their girlfriends on stage and teachers running off instead of helping to write songs and arrange music. Mercy was so happy to be with her bestie, she just nodded and smiled. My girl had tried to get together with him over and over again after that, but Kurt stayed way too busy with his musical, Blaine, and Rachel. Blaine and I had gone running a few times together though._

"_Diva, it's been too long!" Kurt exclaimed, like it was Mercedes that had been avoiding him. "Lauren…you sexy beast, where did you find that lovely suit?"_

_I wondered whether it was a compliment for someone to refer to someone else as a "sexy beast," as Kurt kept talking._

"_And can you __**please**__ tell me where we can we find one for her?" Kurt asked while jerking his head in Mercy's direction._

_Because he was her former best friend, I couldn't help but judge Kurt for making such a hurtful comment. I mean, a stranger might think that kind of joke was alright- but Kurt knew Mercy had issues with beach clothes. It seemed a little insensitive coming from him, and I could tell it hurt Mercy's feelings. Nobody in his right mind would ever accuse Lauren and Puck of being overly sensitive, but even those two looked shocked that Kurt would say something so ugly._

_I dropped a kiss on her forehead and stood up, suggesting we all go play in the water. Mercedes, Kurt, and Lauren opted to sit and talk while Puck, Blaine, and I went into the pool. I figured the topic of fashion must have come up, because I heard Kurt yell "shopping trip," out loud. I was still mad at him for making 'Cedes upset, but I couldn't help but be grateful to Lauren for wearing the great suit. I knew that the next time we went swimming, my girl would be all kinds of sexy…_

**~End Flashback~**

Anyway, the next morning, bright and early we Evanses and soon-to-be Evanses got up and had breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Our plan was to take in a seven-hour long rock climbing class, so we ate enough to tide us over until 4pm. If Mercedes had abstained, we probably would have opted for the Level 3 training session, called "Anchoring," because my family spent a lot of time on indoor rock walls back in Nashville. So we're all pretty familiar with ropes and anchors. We haven't done any since moving to Ohio two years ago, obviously, because it's one of those hobbies that can get expensive between all the instruction fees and equipment; but we were all pretty good and were confident that we'd maintained our skill level. But Mercy was a novice, to the point where the only knots she'd ever tied were attached to her shoes. Plus, she was pretty convinced that she didn't have any "monkey-man" skills at all. So we went ahead and joined the Level 1-"Go Climb A Rock" lesson.

It was actually really fun, sort of an introductory class, meant to give the total novice basic knowledge. We did a lot of climbs, none over 60 feet in elevation; and we all rappelled several times. Mercy loved it; she took a bunch of pictures, and actually helped the twins with some knots they'd forgotten. We joked around a lot, and when the instructor asked us how we all knew each other, my mom answered that we were on our annual family vacation. Then she shot the guy a glare for looking at Mercy like she didn't belong with us. It was hilarious. Mercy spent the rest of the time calling my parents "Mama" and "Papa" to be funny.

Afterward, we grabbed some food at a restaurant and made plans to rent bikes and ride along one of the trails. We were already in Curry Village, so Dad and I walked over to the Recreation Center to rent bikes for the two mile ride to Mirror Lake. Mom and Mercy took the twins into a general store to buy stuff for an early picnic dinner once we made our way there, and we all met at the trailhead to get on our way. We used the trail maps some, but we Evanses dig getting lost in wildernesses and finding our way back, so it took us about two hours to get to the lake. The ground was basically all flat with a few areas of slight incline, so even the kids were still energetic when we got there. Mercy loves to ride, and she definitely has the thighs for it…so nobody was tired or overworked, despite our tangle with the mountains that morning. We ate our sandwiches and chips; taking pictures of the Lake the entire time, then we got on our bikes and returned to the Rec. The only detour we took on the way back was so the kids could go say "hi" to the horses and mules in the stable. Then we finally made our way back to the hotel.

The kids wanted to go to the Park Museum, but Mercy and I decided to skip it so I could take her on a date-Yosemite style. So we hopped on a shuttle, which took us south on Rte 140, and got off at the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. We held hands while waiting on the Big Trees Tram Tour to start, then sat together marveling at the largest stand of redwoods in the Park. We saw the Fallen Monarch, which according to Mercy is some famous Civil-War tree. We took pictures of the Grizzly Giant… which our pamphlet described as being over 2,700 years old! Then we saw the California Tunnel Tree, and watched people actually walk through it. Outside of those tourist attractions, Mercy and I didn't really pay attention to what was being said. We basically spent the whole time nuzzling each other and doing a little light making out. I wanted to learn, but I was definitely missing my girl's body on mine more.

When we returned to our room, 'Cedes and I listened while Stacie talked about all the cool baskets she'd seen, Dad went on and on about the rustic architecture, Mom showed us pictures of the wildflower exhibits, and Stevie couldn't stop talking about geology and rocks. It was interesting, but Mercy and I were pretty sure it was the kind of thing you had to be there to appreciate. Eventually we all got ready for bed, to rest up for all the fun we'd planned for Friday.

* * *

**A/N: I'm soooo sorry this took so long to update! My computers all died and even though most of it was written when it happened there was still a lot of stuff I didn't want to dis-include. I hope you guys like it, and I'm totally grateful for everybody's patience.**


	16. Yosemite Pt 2

**A/N: I know I said I was through writing Samcex, but I had a dream about a smutty bathtub scene, and it made its way in here; internet creeper feelings be dammed. I hope you guys like it. And yes, my dream was tequila-induced. **

**Thanks Anni, for looking this over so quick…you really went above and beyond.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or its characters.**

* * *

**Sam POV:**

July 27, 2012

On Friday, we got all got up around 7am and got dressed in comfortable clothes over swimsuits go on a guided bus tour of Glacier Point. After getting ready we made our way over to Yosemite Lodge and had breakfast in the Mountain Room Restaurant, where we got to feast on delicious food as well as a view of Yosemite Falls. Afterward we went out front, where the bus driver met us under the _portecochere_. Mercedes told me that was French for "carriage porch." We'd already bought trail maps at Curry Village Mountain Shop, and Mom and Mercy had given everybody an idea of what to look out for. To be honest, I was mostly looking forward to sitting with Mercy and trying to get my hand under the short skirt she wore.

The tour takes four hours, and goes all the way from the Valley to Glacier Point, which is like, 3,200 feet above the valley floor. We got a different view of some of the things we'd already seen close up, like Yosemite Falls and Vernal Falls, as well as some great photos of stuff we'd have never been able to undertake hiking to. We saw the High Sierra in the distance, which was really relaxing. The mountains were breathtaking, and my dad kept going on and on about the "panoramic views" or whatever. Mom and Mercy got deep into a discussion about God and his Almighty hand, and even the kids were taken in by how big everything was.

Afterward, we had lunch in the Village, where we made plans to go rafting afterward. At that point in the trip, I was actually starting to worry about all the money we seemed to be spending. I mean, I knew Dad's company was footing the hotel bills and plane tickets. And that he'd probably factored in all of the fees for stuff like climbing lessons and equipment rentals before we even made reservations. But we seemed to be eating out a lot. It was completely weird to me, because we spent the entire summer last year avoiding restaurants. We were getting assistance from the state the whole time we lived in the American Family, so the only time any Evanses ate something that wasn't cooked in the home was when I brought home pizza and pasta from work. I knew my parents weren't in the same position financially, but it seemed a little random that we could splurge so much and ball out in restaurants three times a day. I waited for Mercy to take the twins to the bathroom, then asked my parents about it. When I told Dad I was worried, he actually got a little frustrated with me. Dad gave me some crap about my no longer having to worry about helping to keep our heads above water, and begged me to enjoy this vacation without dwelling on that stuff. Then he left his credit card in the bill holder and left to go to the Recreation Center to rent our boats.

While we finished up, Mom put her hands on my arm and put her index finger up to her lips so I'd know not to spill the beans about what she was about to tell me. I nodded. She showed me the card that the waitress handed back to her and it had the name of Dad's company on the front under his. Apparently this was an all-expense paid trip, courtesy of a company that valued my dad for all his hard work. Dad hadn't wanted me to know, because he wanted to convince me, once and for all that he was finally able to provide for our family without me sweating my ass off to help. I nodded again, and apologized to Mom for making her spill Dad's secret. Then I made up my mind to enjoy Yosemite big and loud enough to make my dad chest-thumping proud.

All of us Evanses are experienced rafters, so we definitely fulfilled the Park's "two capable paddlers in every boat" rule. After we got our rubber rafts, oars and flotation devices we split up, three to a boat. Me and Stevie took Mercy in ours and Stacie rode with our parents. Us boys gave Mercedes a short lesson in paddle handling, then we all pushed off down the Merced River. The water wasn't choppy, but the current was moving pretty fast in some areas. Mostly though, it was a nice, calm ride down a lazy river. We saw wildlife on the banks, and fish swimming in the river. Mercy had a fit when she swore she saw a baby alligator, but I refused to correct her because I was pretty sure it was a full-grown snake instead. Stevie was a smart-ass, trying to splash us from where he sat in between 'Cedes' legs, and we laughed our way down the river. At the end of the three mile trip, we disembarked on a sand bar and waited for the shuttle to take us back.

We ate a late lunch, and I completely showed my ass ordering stuff, which made my dad grin. Then we decided to go on another hike. Since we hadn't seen any of the Tuolumne River the whole trip, we decided to climb Pothole Dome and work off our meal. The mountain itself is over 8,700 feet tall, but the trailhead elevation is 8,500. It was by far the hardest thing to get to since we'd been in California. We had to get a cab 10 miles down Highway 120 to Tioga Pass Rd, then travel another 38 miles to the trailhead parking lot. The hike was only about 2.5 miles round trip, but despite the name it wasn't hard at all. While we made our way up from the lower part of the trail we got a great view of the cascades in the Tuolumne River, and when we got to the top of the mountain we got to look across Tuolumne Meadows. It was hella green, and we saw hundreds of people romping around down there. On the way back down after the loop-around we got some great shots of the river pools and surrounding mountains. It was also pretty cool that there wasn't an actual official trail. We kind of made our way by using the maps and finding all these connecting routes. So it was right up Evans alley. The only bad part was the mosquitoes. They were swarming and attacking like those pixies in _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_. They must have thought me, Stevie and Dad were made of sugar the way they followed us around. We found out about halfway up that the women were all wearing this stuff from Avon that kept the bugs away. So we men made the executive decision that we didn't care about smelling rosy and used some too.

We made our way back to Yosemite Valley around 5pm, which gave us just enough time to go explore around in the Nature Center. There were natural history exhibits, interactive displays, and tour guides to show us all the most interesting stuff. But the whole time, the only thing I could think about was getting back to our hotel room and spending some time with my girl. I don't know if it was because I'd gotten used to not being separated from with Mercy, or if it was because we spent so much time this summer naked. But I was seriously needing some alone time, and thankfully was in a position to get it later on. Mom and Dad were taking the kids camping, so we'd actually be unchaperoned. I knew my lady could tell I was getting antsy…she'd had to swat my hands off of her legs on the tour bus, my dick was completely poking her in the back the whole time we were in the boat, and I'd surreptitiously groped her on our hike more than once. And she was down for some naughty time to; I could tell. I may have been a teenage boy running on hormones, but I have to say…having the right kind of girl on your team was a treat. Mercedes' great attitude about sex, love, and life in general was half the reason I couldn't keep my hands on her. Which reminds me of the time we….

**~Flashback~**

July 30, 2011

_The last Saturday in July was the day Mercy and I sent out a mass text, telling our friends I was moving in a week's time. Neither one of us felt like answering calls or nosy questions, so we silently agreed to shut our phones off immediately afterward. Then we left to go to a carnival we heard about in Gomer. We spent the drive there singing songs together and holding hands. Mercy and I were both kind of sad that we wouldn't get a chance to sing any of them for Glee club, since we sounded amazing together. _

_When we got there, Mercy wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel, the big boat-looking thing that swings back and forth, and the tunnel of love. I wanted to visit the house of mirrors, toss a few balls at the dunk tank, and ride the tilt-a-whirl. When we got in the line for the last one, we noticed that the couple in front of us was one we recognized. It was Finn and Rachel, and they were so busy arguing (or so self-involved, whichever you prefer) they didn't even recognize us. Mercy was acting a little down, so I decided to cheer her up by messing with them a little. _

_I caught my girl around her waist and whispered "taste of their own medicine?" in her ear. She grinned all wickedly and pulled me down so she could reach my lips. I could tell she knew exactly where I was going with the kiss, since she got really into it; we were both generally pretty adamant about not getting too kissy-faced in public if we could help it._

_After about two minutes we heard Rachel gasp and ask Finn, "Did you know those two were together?"_

_He replied with, "Yeah, everybody knows…Sam's been posting pictures to Facebook every time they have a date; it's kinda creepy…"_

These two really need to learn how to whisper.

"…_And he re-tweets everything she puts on Twitter."_

_I made sure to face Rachel so she could see me inch my hand down to rest on Mercy's ass-cheeks, while Mercedes ran her nails over my forearms and moaned out loud._

"_Samuel Evans!" Rachel shrieked. _

I guess she couldn't mind her own business any longer.

"_I am absolutely shocked at your atrocious behavior! I thought boys from the South were supposed to be chivalrous…" _

_Mercy and I kept kissing and smiled into each other's lips._

"_You are pawing your new girlfriend the way one would treat a common whore. I understand that, as a teen boy, it can sometimes be difficult to control some of your baser impulses…"_

_When Mercy heard "whore" she stopped kissing me, so we turned to face Rachel. I kept my hand on her ass though. _

"…_But you should not let the novelty of a physical relationship impair your ability to be modest. Mercedes deserves a gentleman, not a, a … a Mr. Grabby Hands, fondling her posterior!" _

_The only thing I could think while Mercy and I linked fingers and looked at each other was…wow! I knew she was a judgmental prude, but to come up with a lecture like that on the fly? Poor Finn…_

"_Rachel, maybe we should mind our own business; I mean, we make out in public all the time, and Puck told me it's pretty gross to watch. Plus, I'm sure he wouldn't grab her ass like that if she hadn't told him it was okay," Finn defended us. _

_I'm pretty sure Finn's gonna catch hell for trying to correct Rachel, but I don't feel sorry for him at all… cause I'm also pretty sure I heard him call me "lucky bastard" under his breath._

"_Thank you Finn, but I got this…" Mercy started, wearing her bout-to-tell-this-bitch-about-herself face. "Rachel, I have watched you sit on Finn's lap and taste his tonsils for two years now, in an academic setting, no less; without ever once asking you to stop. You guys kiss in the cafeteria, completely ruining my tots. You make out in study hall and the library, distracting people from their work with your smacking and moaning. You turn EVERY out-of-school Glee function in to a slob-fest, yet you have a problem with me kissing my man at a carnival 30 minutes from Lima? And you have the nerve to interrupt a moment you could have just ignored? You need to back the hell up and stay in your lane, girl; cause this…" she gestures between the two of us "ain't your business in the least!" _

_Then Mercedes turned back to me and asked "I believe your hands were on my ass?"_

_I nodded and resumed kissing my lady._

**~End Flashback~**

…Remembering the feeling of my hands on Mercedes' rump was torture. I was so ready to leave the Nature Center by that time I could have screamed for joy when we finally got out of there. I'm honestly surprised I didn't.

* * *

**Mercedes POV:**

July 27, 2012-Later that day

After we left the Nature Center, the Evans family and I went back to our hotel room so the parents and twins could get packed up. Mr. and Mrs. Evans had reserved a campsite for the evening so they could take the twins camping and sleep under the stars.

When we'd first heard about it, Sam and I had planned on going too…but Mrs. Mary wanted us to take a night off from family fun so we could fulfill our 10 hour-a-week duties.

We helped Mrs. Mary find the twins' sleeping bags and packed up a cooler full of fun kid-friendly foods (yogurt, Handi-snacks, Lunchables; that kind of thing) while Dwight made sure the cell phones were charged and that he had matches to start a fire with. Then they left for Hodgdon Meadow for their outdoors adventure. It was only about 7 pm, so Sam and I ate dinner in the restaurant downstairs, and then came back up to work. By the time Sam had finished helping me with the musical arrangement for the song I was writing for class, it was almost 10 o'clock.

I was pretty sure that Dwight and Mary could tell Sam and I were wanting some alone time, and that they'd insisted on leaving us here so we could snuggle. I really appreciated the opportunity to be together without chaperones, because being in the hotel all week reminded me of last summer. I could tell Sam was remembering all those Wednesdays when we made love at the American Family, because he asked me if I was interested in a Samcedes shower. I was already one step ahead of him on the horniness front, though. I declined, but suggested we take a bath together instead. He agreed.

The hotel had this huge sunken Jacuzzi tub in the master bath, complete with jets and this indentation on the side where bathers could sit. Mrs. Evans had insisted that I use it since day one of the trip: partly because the men (and Stevie) all preferred showers, while she and I were the "relax in the tub" types. And partly because she knew all the roughing it would be a lot more palatable for my spoiled ass if I could pamper myself at the end of each day. I was totally grateful to her, and I'd been dreaming about a bath with Sam since I saw it.

We filled the tub with coconut scented bath beads, and water that was warm enough for me but wouldn't burn Sam's flesh off. Then we turned the jets on, got in, and immediately started kissing. While we made out, Sam palmed my breasts and I let my hands roam over his ab muscles. He flicked the roof of my mouth with his tongue which I love, and the kiss deepened as I stroked his hardness under the water.

I heard Sam groan, and broke the kiss so he could suck away at the flesh on my neck. While I ran my fingers through his hair and moaned, I also decided to make my move. Seductively, I whispered "sit on the bath seat, baby."

Now, before last summer, I never really saw myself as a blow job queen; but I totally love pleasing my Sam with my mouth. It makes him so happy, and I feel extremely powerful whenever I drive him crazy this way. I guess giving head is a lot like buying a new dress for a party…it's something you don't necessarily have to do to feel sexy, but if you do it once you understand how heady the feeling is.

When he got seated, I licked the tip of his dick, running my tongue over it slowly and thoroughly. Then I kissed the underside of his shaft while flicking it repeatedly with my tongue. I cupped his balls softly and smiled when he whimpered. Deciding to step up my game, I licked them, then wrapped my lips around one and sucked it while humming. After letting him feel the vibration on one testicle, I repeated the move on the other.

Then I licked the area between Sam's balls and his asshole, his taint. Sam and I have kind of played around with rimming, but we never really went for the full-on round of analingus. I'm not opposed to it or anything, but I wasn't gonna try it for the first time in a hotel room his parents and siblings would be returning to in the morning. Maybe Sam would be game for spending a night in the Holiday Inn in Lima next weekend. I'm not sure why, but I really want to try some of everything with Sam before I leave; you know, make lots of memories to tide us over in the fall.

When Sam's leg started thumping against the wall of the tub, I stopped daydreaming, and concentrated on pleasing my man; it was obvious he was really getting into it. I stopped the tongue bath on his taint, and wrapped my mouth around his dick, humming on the down stroke.

One great thing about wearing my natural is that Sam feels a lot more comfortable putting his hands in my fro than he did my weave. I guess he was scared or worried that he'd yank out my tracks or something. It kind of makes me think long and hard about maybe keeping my hair like this, because I love feeling those long fingers stroking my scalp and pulling lightly.

I sucked, licked, and blew my cool breath across the head of his dick alternately for a few minutes while my man softly wove his fingers around a few strands of my hair. When the tell-tale precum seeped out of the tip of his penis, I slurped it into my mouth and paused to look at him so he could see the "yummy yummy" face I wore.

It's a good thing I don't mind swallowing him down, because Sam started his pre-nut sexy talk right after I licked my lips and wrapped them back around his dick.

"Mercy I love it when you suck me like this. Can I fuck your beautiful face? Please, can I come in your pretty mouth?" he whined.

I knew this meant he wanted me to be still so he could do the thrusting, so let him pull away from my lips and motioned for him to stand up.

I stayed on my knees while he stood in the tub and pushed his cock between my lips. He rotated his hips back and forth, and put his hands my shoulders to guide himself. I just covered my teeth with my lips and hummed while he maneuvered himself in and out. Periodically, because I like to keep things interesting, I would stick my tongue out as far as I could to lick his balls; but I basically let him run the show. On some level, I actually kind of like being dominated.

"God, this feels good darlin'…" Sam drawled.

Whenever Sam calls me "darlin" I know he's either really comfortable or really horny…or both.

"I'm gonna come in your sexy mouth, then I'm gonna kiss you breathless. Then I'm gonna eat your pussy underwater until you pass out and I have to carry you to bed…"

He always does this when he wants to last longer. Talks all nasty to keep his mind off coming, while making me impatient to get mine. It never works, though…since now I'm ready to get off too. That shit just makes me more determined to make him come faster.

"Suck it baby, I'm about to come..."

Sam knows the deep throat thrusting can get a little intense when he fucks my face. I don't have a real serious gag reflex, but he can get a little wild when we do this. So he made himself stay still while I resumed sucking him off.

When he finally let go, Sam growled and cussed up a storm.

"Shit, baby that's so good…So fucking good…Unhh, Mercy keep sucking my dick. Its so fucking good. Shit, damn baby I'm coming. Shit, fuck Mercy it's so goddamn good…FUCK!"

You know when Trouty is using the Lord's name in vain, he must have caught a really good nut.

After I swallowed and licked my lips, Sam sat back down in the tub and kissed me in the water till I saw stars. Then he pushed me back into the tub and spread my legs while sucking my nipples.

The tub was huge, but it wasn't as big as a bed, obviously; so we had to maneuver carefully for him to get his head between my legs. And if my ass was any less luscious, he'd have drowned himself trying to get to my clit, since the water level was so high. It was a good thing the jets went off when he started to come. As it was, Sam's chin and lips were underneath the top of the water when I felt him start sucking on my pussy.

Can I just say right now, that I firmly believe Sam Evans' whole oral area was God-given and Christ-blessed for the exclusive purpose of eating pussy? He gets a lot of big-lip jokes from our friends, and I know at least 69% of them are snide, undercover allusions to oral sex…but trust me, ain't nothing funny about this boy's mouth. Actually, I've _always_ thought his lips were sexy. When he talks or sings or does his impressions, I get wet just watching them move. But when my man gets the notion to take a trip down town…

WHOO!

For one thing, Sammy makes a lot of effort. Baby boy never goes into anything half-assed, just on GP; but he really goes above and beyond when pussy's on the menu. Sometimes, I feel like he's putting his whole face into making me happy. It's nothing at all for me to feel his lips sucking and moving in between my pussy lips, his tongue licking and exploring the inside of my folds, and even his teeth nipping lightly around the edges of my hole; all at the same damn time! My baby gets so into sometimes that his _nose hairs _come out all painted with my juices. It's hella hot.

Plus, Sam never does the same thing twice in exactly the same way. Right now I can feel the swipes of his tongue and can't tell if he's tracing the alphabet or spelling words on my sex. The alphabet thing is pretty fun... Even if I'm embarrassed by the fact that I never make it past the letter "K." But if he's pussy writing words or phrases I'll know about it soon, since he won't start a new one until I scream out what he's currently transcribing. Hold up…that was a downward stroke, followed by a horizontal swipe across my hole. Then a circular motion around my clit that seemed to take a really long time to complete. Next was a downward downward sweep, followed by a diagonal upward swipe. Finally, he performed a horizontal clit lick, a horizontal slit lick, and a horizontal taint lick; connecting all three with one last downward stroke. Okay, I know this one. So I shout "Love!" and feel Sam's lips smile against my, um…lips. On to the next one. Broad upward tongue stroke against labial folds on the left, diagonal downward sweep ending right under my clit, back up again, then a broad tongue stroke against the right fold. The next letter feels like a circle, another letter "O," but it seems more slurpy around my clit. By the time I go through all of the possible ways Sam might have shortened my name (Merce, Mercy, Merci, etc) and finally guess Sam is spelling "Mercy-Mine, I need release so bad I can taste it.

Sam decides to put me out of his misery by holding me open with his thumbs and placing both of his sexy lips around my aching bundle of nerves. Then he just attacked it by sucking and flicking his tongue across it repeatedly. This, combined with the feeling of the water lapping against me was sending me into a freaking fit. I feel the first orgasm coming, and I scream my way through it. After the climax was over, I heard (and felt) the vibrations of his lips talking against my wet pussy.

"Was it good, baby? Did you come hard?" I could feel Sam's smirk while the vibrations wafted over me, so I knew the question was rhetorical.

"Shit Sam, so good…" I moaned, while my hips continued jerking around his face.

"I'm not done with you yet, baby…"

Then he stuck his tongue in my pussy and circled it around my walls. After telling me how good I tasted, Sam pulled me into his arms and I kissed my taste from his mouth. He played with my nipples with one hand while continuing to stroke me all over with the other.

Getting to his knees, my man jerked his head toward the same seat he'd just left. "Sit down, baby and spread them thighs…"

Who was I to argue? That's when I decided to let my own freaky words out.

"You gonna kiss me again?"

"Kiss, suck, lick, eat, and swallow; darlin'"

Then he dove in between my legs for round two.

This time I knew it would take me longer to get off, but experience told me the slow buildup would make me come even harder. God, I love multiple orgasms!

Sam kissed his way up my thighs while gently probing me with his fingers. He started with one, asking me, "Does your tight little pussy like Sammy's fingers?"

"My tight little pussy wants more fingers," I growled in frustration while pinching my own nipples.

He gave me another one, then licked my clit tentatively. He likes to make sure I'm not too sensitive to keep going before he goes to town. Sam must have decided that since this orgasm was likely to take awhile, he'd enjoy himself (and torture me) more by going super slowly. Instead of short, flicky licks he was giving me long, broad strokes with his whole tongue. I swear I could feel his taste buds on my sex. I felt the hot breath on me and could tell he'd pressed his whole face into my pussy by the way his nose mashed against my vulva. Thank God for synchronized swimming, cause there ain't no way my man was breathing.

After awhile, I felt myself gush over the fingers he still was sliding in and out of my pussy. Sam pulled them out, coated my clit with cream, and then licked it off while re-inserting them. This time he added a third finger and it felt almost as good as his dick. Then his licks got wilder and harder to anticipate; the sensation was way too much. I felt a second orgasm coming so I grabbed Sam's ears, ground myself into his mouth, and babbled incoherently. As I came, I was able to stifle the scream I wanted to let out, so that it left my mouth as more of a shriek.

"Shit, Sam…please keep going!"

"Will do, baby" was his reply.

I felt myself clench around his three fingers while he continued to lick and suck away. I was tight as hell, but Sam slid his fingers in and out of my gripping pussy as best he could. When my walls finally relaxed; Sam removed his hand, coated my bottom lip with my own secretions, then sucked that lip into his mouth.

I love it when he does freaky shit like that.

That orgasm never really ended, to be honest. Sam pulled me up so that I could stand and ride his chin, slurping my juices noisily while I pulled his hair and scratched the back of his neck. While Sam used his hands to grab huge handfuls of my ass and push himself closer to me, I wove in and out of these amazing back-to-back climaxes. Some were powerful tsunami nuts, others were lazy summer storm-gasms…who in the hell can concentrate on counting the number of climaxes in one encounter? I didn't but I _do_ know I had quite a few.

By the time we got out of the tub the water was ice cold and my legs were wobbly. We got into our PJ's (but not before I sucked him off again) and went to bed. Sam's promise to make me pass out wasn't too off the mark, because I don't remember a thing that happened between then and the next morning when the rest of the Evans family returned to the room.

After a great night spent in a sexy haze, Sam and I got up, helped pack, and then got ready to return back to Lima.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter, and that you're still interested in this fic. Trouble's looming, but you guys can trust me to make the angst as painless as possible. I love Samcedes too much to do 'em wrong, for real. **

**Until then, Happy Reading!**


	17. A Day in the Life

**A/N: This chapter was my attempt to convey the fact that Mercedes and Sam were both miserable after their August 2011 breakup, while still delivering a little fluff before all of the fuckery that will be taking place in the next chapter. So I give you…a random November 2011 Monday. This chapter will describe a day in the life of both Sam and Mercedes. We will delve into the inner workings of both teens' minds, and find out what they were each thinking about before Sam came back to Lima. **

**I wanted to illustrate the obvious changes in Sam's behavior/attitude before returning to McKinley, because I really REALLY love Ain'tShit!Sam with a vengeance that borders on holy. I also use this chapter to show how grateful Mercedes was to Shane while Sam was in Kentucky. Individually, Sam and Mercedes both had some genuine personality overhauls, and I think those changes were a result of missing one another.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the characters of Glee. I love Mercedes too much to pretend to be the assholes who treat her so bad.**

* * *

**Sam POV:**

**~In Lexington, Kentucky~**

BRINNGG!

**{Yawn and stretch}**

_Damn, I feel like I just went to bed. I gotta start coming out of the club earlier on Sunday nights. _

**{Rolls over}**

I_'m losing too much sleep. Maybe I can start working longer on Saturday or something. Mandingo Warrior told me once that the early crowd is pretty good on Mondays. I think I'll go see if my boss'll let me get my White Chocolate on this afternoon; gotta go get my cut of the tips anyway… _

**{Gets up and crosses over to dresser to find underwear} **

_The kids were watching "The Cat in the Hat" DVD Mercy bought 'em when I left last night. I hate that I missed it. I gotta quit running outta here without spending any time with those two. I mean, its really not worth an extra 50 or 60 bucks if I can't spend any time with the people I'm doing the shit for. I'll watch a movie with them before bedtime. They'll like that. _

_So that's two things on my to-do list: talk to my boss, hang out with Stevie and Stacie…_

**{Yawns again}**

_A shower ought to wake me up._

**{Showers} **

_Sammy, you gotta do what Dad keeps reminding you to do…you gotta count your blessings. Warm water feels good, that's blessing number one. Having my own bathroom rocks; so does having my own room again. So that's another one, finally having some privacy again. Of course I got nobody to sneak up to my room now, but at least I can watch dirty videos on my laptop…that's good, right? _

_Shit, who am I kidding? Kentucky fucking sucks…_

**{Rambles through closet}**

_Where's my Letterman? Still not sure how I let Mom talk me into getting back on the jock train. Oh well, season's over now anyway...I wonder if Mom washed my blue polo. Love that damn shirt. Mercy got it for me…It made her smile every time she saw it on me. Damn, this thing's getting snug; I wonder if Mercy'll notice how much bigger I've gotten since I left. _

_It's Mercedes, of course she'll notice. I wonder if she'll be happy to see me whenever I save enough money to go for a visit. Again, it's Mercy; of course she'll want to see me. At least I hope she will… _

**{Walks downstairs and into kitchen}**

_Great; Mom and Dad took the twins to school. Looks like Stevie finished off the eggs, though. Thanks, bro…you left me a whole piece of bacon and a half-slice of toast today. Little dude must be having a growth spurt. Thank God for Food Assistance. Speaking of which, Mom told me to take this form downtown today. Not sure why we still qualify for all this low-income stuff with Dad working, but I'm sure as hell not complaining. Hell, it keeps groceries in the refrigerator…when Stevie doesn't see 'em first, that is. _

_So that's three things on my to-do list: take the form downtown, talk to my boss, and hang out with Stevie and Stacie…_

**{Drives to school}**

_I'm still hungry, I wonder if McGriddles are on sale this week? If I get to school early enough I can go by the library to do my Chemistry homework. I miss having Mercy around to do homework with. I miss her… Swing through drive through, first though. Still hungry…_

**{In hallway}**

_No, random fake Cheeri-ho #1, I do NOT want your fucking phone number. Quit slipping it into my damn locker. That's goin' right in the trash…Please, random fake Cheeri-ho #2, can you stop chillin' outside my first period class? That shit ain't sexy, it's stalk-y. This dude wants no part of any bullshit Single White Teenage Female fuckery. Did random fake Cheeri-ho #3 just stroke my chest as she walked by? All right, why's it okay for a girl to do stuff like that but not a guy? The cheer chicks in this school act like Satan, but not in a good way. They all need to get a clue…This dude ain't the least bit interested. I know who I want… _

_Fuck, I miss McKinley…_

**{Sits in homeroom}**

_Okay, so I finally get away from the creepy chicks in the hallway, now I got even more random fake Cheeri-hoes winking at me from across the room…they need to get it through their heads… I've said it before, gonna say it as long as I have to. They. Are. Not. My. Type. None of them are. They want me because I'm tall and blonde and a jock. I want a girl who wants Sam-I-Am. I want a girl who's into dorks, geeks, and slushy-magnets. Random fake Cheeri-hoes need not apply! _

_Shoulda never gone to that party in September, now they all think they can fool me into being their boyfriend like Cherry...Maybe if I'm less popular… I should join show choir so they'll leave me alone. _

_My to-do list is up to four items: look into joining Glee, take the form downtown, talk to my boss, then hang out with Stevie and Stacie…._

**{At school assembly}**

_How clueless can a principal be? This dude makes Figgins look like a damn genius. Did he just say the Glee club was going to perform "Ego" by Beyonce? Has he even __**heard**__ the song before? It's completely inappropriate. They even got a dude doing the Kanye rap part…but that guy ain't no Artie. They do sound good, though. The Black girl singing lead is really cute. I wonder if she's their "Rachel." She doesn't look or sound anything like Mercedes Jones;, but if I was interested in dating, I'd date her before jumping on any random fake Cheeri-ho train. _

_I wish I could hear Mercy singing "Ego" for me one more time…_

**{Driving to work after dropping off form}**

_I seriously hope Shaka Zulu doesn't steal my red shorts again today. I mean, aside from the obvious gross-out factor of sharing booty shorts; it's completely fucking rude. Every body's always stealing each other's g-strings and boots in that place, like it's a tee shirt or something. If I had my own apartment or my parents knew what kinda job I had, I'd keep my shit at home. But I can't, so the capitalistic dancing-ass cat-burglars at Stallionz take advantage. And its not like Shaka and I have the same shorts. His red ones look like a condom tied up with string. Gotta get a combination lock for here like I have at school. _

_Alright, dropping the shit I got done already; my to-do list is back up to three items again: talk to my boss, get combo lock, hang out with Stacie and Stevie…_

**{Changing for Work}**

_I'm starving…I wonder if that new waitress will bring me a burger from across the street. School lunch sucked today; no wonder they give it to poor people for free. I should have brown bagged it. Mercy always said tots were the only edible thing at McKinley…_

**{On stage}**

_So sick of "Party Rock Anthem" I could barf. I never make any money on fast songs anyway. The ladies all throw the big dollars at the "twerk sum" crew during fast numbers. And my ass don't pop in that direction. I make all my money on slow grinds and private dances… _

**{Song changes}**

_Oh, great…another song by Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys with the word "crunk" in the fucking title. Don't mind me, y'all; I'll just be over here on the side of the stage getting ignored while MILFs throw $50 bills at Sexual Chocolate over there…_

**{Song changes again}**

_Okay, now we're talking. Don't know the name of the song but that's Usher singing it. And the DJ just turned down the lights. Now I just gotta work my way to the edge of the stage and find somebody to eye-sex._

**{Spies 30-something lady winking his way}**

_Eye contact, Sammy…twinkle the greens, flash her the emeralds. She's looking, now throw her the Evans half-grin. Work the Trouty Pouty lips. Good, got a smile back from her. _

**{Locks eyes with customer}**

_Bite your lip and body roll, Evans. Arms in the air, show off the washboard. Is she still looking? Jack Pot! There's the "come over here" finger crook. _

_Lady, say goodbye to all your cash!_

**{VIP Lounge}**

_Ok, Sammy this lady just paid your whole family's cell phone bill to watch you from the audience. Now she gets to put her hands on you for $50 price tag. So she's getting a bargain. Miss Lady ain't tipping unless some of her fantasies come true up in here._

**{Starts Private Dance}**

_Sidle over to her, she's sitting and clapping her hands like a little kid at the circus. Give her the "Sexy" face. Grab her hands mid-clap and run 'em over your chest. Shit, she just slipped a $20 tip in your waistband. Not bad, but you're not done with her yet._

**{Private Dance continues}**

_Imagine its Mercy, can't have soft junk when stripping, dude. Mercy's hands on my chest…okay, feels good I guess. Mercy's hot breath on my stomach…that shit's sexy as fuck, right? Mercy's tongue? Okay, Mercy's tongue on my ab muscles…Whatever; if she likes it I love it. _

**{Still doing lap dance}**

_Finally; It's time for the big finish. Pick Sugar-Mama up, man…let her wrap her old-ass legs around you. Sit her down in your lap, Sammy. Dry hump the hell out of her from underneath. Feel that, dirty old lady? That right there is young, hard dick. You ain't got any of this at home. That's why you pay for it at Stallionz. You like that, right? Well show me the money! _

_I probably shouldn't have thought that line in the voice of Jerry McGuire…now I'm pretty close to giggling out loud. _

**{Customer Reaches inside bra for tip}**

_And there it is…the $50 I knew she was holding back. My work here is done…_

**{Driving home}**

_I gotta start staying after school and working out in the weight room…I keep forgetting I can't lift weights at home like I used to, cause I sold 'em. Gotta keep the sexy going if I'm gonna be eating my weight in fast food at work. Maybe I can find some dumbells at Goodwill. Speaking of food, I bet the only thing in the freezer is meat. I'll stop and pick up some rice and veggies on my way. Maybe some Doritos…_

**{At dinner}**

_Man, am I glad I'm used to brown rice and veggies. Stevie just killed half of a party-size mac and cheese…as a side dish. Growth spurt. Stacie's getting tall, too. She eats like me, so she'll probably be built like Quinn when she gets older. Good thing too, if she was stacked like Mercy I'd have to kill somebody… _

_Mom looks really happy. Dad, too. I'm so glad they both have jobs, now. I bet if I came up with an excuse to go back to Lima right now they'd let me go. Just gotta come up with an excuse…._

**{Lying in bed} **

_If I count my share of last night's tips, my private dance money and all of those "undeclared" g-string dollars, I brought home a little over $350 today. I can get Stevie two pairs of sneakers, since his feet grew again. I'll get one pair from Wal-Mart to dirty up and play in, and another pair of Nikes to keep nice for school. Stacie's favorite dress is fading too…gotta find her something red with Hello Kitty on it soon. Mom's new job keeps a week's pay in the hole, so she doesn't get a paycheck for two more weeks. Gotta make her take some gas money from me and maybe a little cash so she can eat lunch. Maybe I'll buy dad a new trucker hat…his John Deere is looking completely raggedy. I can get by on $30 the rest of this week…_

_So that leaves around $100 I can put back. That brings my "go to Lima and make Mercy forgive me and take me back by any means necessary" fund up to $740. It's only a matter of time, I can feel it. _

_God, I hope it works…_

* * *

**Mercedes POV:**

**~In Lima, Ohio~**

PHONE ALARM SOUNDS!

**{Yawns} **

_Shit… Time to get up._

**{Opens Eyes}**

_Damn, Mercedes is hella tired…TroubleTone rehearsal ran late last night. Shuester may be a pain in my ass sometimes, but he for damn sure never kept us rehearsing till midnight…_

**{Sits up in bed}**

_Probably why Miss Shelby's choirs win so much all the time…she doesn't leave any room for mistakes. But I'll get used to it…_

**{Picks out clothes for the day}**

_Been awhile since I wore my studded belt, if I can just find my sparkly black leggings…_

_Whelp, there it is; Shane's good morning text-right on time. _

**{Post shower weigh in}**

I_ swear if I didn't know better I'd say this scale was broken. I can't believe how much weight I've lost. Tiring-ass dance rehearsals aside, I gotta say, I look damned fine right about now. I wonder if any of the New Directions have noticed; I mean, they __**were **__my best friends way back when. Probably not, though; at least my man and Satan give me my props. Thank God for Shane…_

**{Walks into the kitchen}**

_No time for breakfast; I'll grab some fruit and granola. I gotta get out of here soon. TroubleTone meeting before school. Wonder where he is…_

**{Hops in passenger seat of Shane's car}**

_It's so sweet the way my man insists on taking me everywhere. School, practice, church, errands…I haven't had to drive my car more than three times since we started dating. He' such a great guy. Depending on him for everything takes __**so**__ much off my plate…_

**{Walks into McKinley High}**

_I'm so happy I don't have to walk these halls by myself these days. I swear, if I'd have had to suffer through another year of being the odd-sistah out, I probably would have lost my damn grip. I spent a whole summer with my hand wrapped around the hand of the boy I love…loved! _

_Shane's hand doesn't feel the same, but its still nice…I'm so happy he's in my life…_

**{Post TroubleTone meeting}**

_Miss Shelby's so right; I can't let the TroubleTones get bogged down in competing with New Directions. It's so pointless and unnecessary. If I can get in Santana's ear the others will fall in line. I have to be a good leader, convince her to quit worrying about what they have up their sleeves and messing with their heads. I have to convince her that they have their thing going on and we should focus on our own. No interaction required until we beat them at Sectionals. I can talk to her one-on-one before the bell. Wonder where she is…_

**{Looks around courtyard}**

_There she is; that's funny, Satan's chilling in the cut with Britt __**and**__ Mike. Maybe __**I'm**__ the only one who's convinced we all can't still be friends. But Shane wouldn't have told me that shit if it wasn't true. I trust him. I'll interrupt long enough to say "hi" and ask Satan to meet me in the library at lunch. We can talk then. Oh, shit… I'm having lunch with Shane. Maybe after…_

_Damn, dude! My man may be big, but he for damn sure knows how to sneak up on a bitch. I guess I'll catch up with Satan later…_

**{In cafeteria}**

_Tots, fruit cup, and water; works for me. Everything else up in this place sucks anyway. I wonder if Shane can tell I'm not really listening to him. I hope not. I'm interested.. Really, I am. But all that scholarship talk quit being news after I heard it the first twenty times. And the football chatter? Boring! _

_I wish Shane and I liked the same movies, or played video games together, or maybe had some friends in common. Lately all of our conversations have ended up with me nodding politely while he chatters or vice-versa. I hope it's just a dry spell._

**{Walking with Shane to his football practice}**

_What's he talking about now? Oh, cocoa babies. Rolling my eyes, dude. Cause he's not serious, right? He can't be…Not that I have a problem with one day bearing brown children, I just don't know why Shane would want to marry me when we have little to nothing to say to one another. I mean, granted-Sam and I obviously did way more together than just talk all the time; but we still managed to be interested in what the other had to say…_

**{Watching Shane's practice}**

_Ten more minutes to play good girlfriend before I head off to my own rehearsal. But I can't complain, it's a completely fair exchange. Shane gets a devoted girlfriend cheering him on at practice, coming to all his games, sitting with him at church and having dinner wit his folks. I get somebody who calls me every night, rain or shine. A football player who keeps my picture up in his locker and dates me because he likes me, not because I happen to be a Cheerio. I get to hold hands and kiss boy who thinks I'm the best. _

_It's worth it…_

**{After practice}**

_Satan and Brittany are going to the Stixx; I wonder if Shane'll mind me tagging along with them. His practice was supposed to run late, and he mentioned Cooter wanting to meet him in the weight room sometime this week. I'll just shoot him a text. _

_Sweet Jesus in Heaven! Boy just scared the literal hell out of me for the second time today! How'd he get behind the door so damn quick? I guess that shoots Breadstixx in the nuts. _

_No worries, though; Shane and I can stop somewhere for something. He loves the pizza at that place Sam used to deliver for. Which is funny, since Sam can't stand it, now. At least, he couldn't the last time we talked. God , that was over three months ago. I can't believe its been so long…_

**{Saying goodbye to Shane in doorway of home}**

_That was nice; Shane and Daddy have a good time together whenever he comes over. Not gonna think about him and Mama right now. I'll get some homework done before Shane Skypes me…_

**{Bent over computer desk}**

_There, that's done…_

_Mama knows she was dead wrong for mentioning Sam tonight; talking about inviting the whole Evans family to visit over Christmas or Spring Break. And I don't even __**know **__how I feel about the possibility of that shit happening. So I won't think about it at all. But if they're planning trips then that means the Evans family is doing better now. I'm glad to hear it…_

_I'm gonna have to do some damage control with Shane, though…that much I __**do **__know. It's sort of nice having a guy around to get all jealous over me. As long as he doesn't go crazy; like Sam's "country boy crazy" brand of jealousy, we'll be okay…_

**{Getting ready for bed}**

_Lord have mercy, it took forever to get that boy off the phone tonight. You'd think after having dinner together and Skyping for an hour, that a text saying goodnight would be enough for Shane. But he's always a little clingy whenever we discuss Sam. For some reason, my man is convinced that at some point Sam's gonna come try and get me back. _

_Whatever…_

**{Lying under covers}**

_There goes my goodnight text. I guess it's safe to drift off now... _

_I hope I did a good job convincing Shane he has nothing to worry about…I'd hate for him to feel insecure. I have to remember to remind him who I belong to everyday…_

_And I'm glad I've got so many blessings to count these days… I have the TroubleTones, my family's happy, all my friends are good. I've got Shane in my corner, the Evans family is doing better. There's so much to be thankful for. _

_Too bad I still can't get through the night without waking up at least once to cry…_

* * *

**A/N: Did you see how Sam woke up every morning counting his blessings, and Mercedes went to bed counting hers? Did you catch the way everything reminded Sam of Mercedes and everything reminded Mercedes of Sam? Did I properly convey how fake Cheeri-hoes don't make it onto Sam's radar, and Shane gets on Mercedes' nerves? What about how Sam disengages from his unhappiness by focusing on his work at Stallionz and family responsibilities, while Mercedes fixates on the TroubleTones like they're her children? If not…then you need to read this one again!**

**I will be updating the next two chapters; one per Wednesday through Chapter 19. So hopefully I can make everybody's hump day a little brighter. Thank you ZeeJack, for the suggestion...you rock, girl!  
**

**Thank you all for the love!  
**


	18. Trouble

**A/N: Okay, remember all that big talk I was doing about something coming between Samcedes? Well, it's here…but please, don't get discouraged and not read it. I'm a hardcore Samcedes shipper and I wouldn't fuck them up too, too much.**

**I promise.**

**I also want to think Annikay and Illiandyandra, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to helping me shape this thing up. I'm sure a lot of you have noticed some changes in my writing now, from back when this thing started…but the biggest and most vital one is definitely the fact that I can run it past two really great sets of eyes now. They aren't just catching my grammar issues and mistakes in punctuation; they actually help me make my stories better. And they managed to do it while encouraging me when I got lost. So I owe a shout out of sincere thanks to those two. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee… I'm alright, really. Keep it.**

* * *

**~Flashback~**

**August 24, 2012**

_{Doorbell rings...Mrs. Jones opens door to reveal Rachel Berry}_

_Rachel: Hello, Mrs. Jones, I know that Mercedes and Sam are working at the Salvation Army Store, at the moment, and I have a sensitive matter to discuss with you while they are away. May I come in?_

_{Mrs. Jones opens the door, allowing Rachel to enter her home}_

_Rachel: Thank you. I promise I won't be long._

_{Mrs. Jones nods and gestures for Rachel to follow her into the kitchen}_

_Rachel: Mrs. Jones, I know that you and your husband, along with Mr. and Mrs. Evans have given Sam and Mercedes an excessive amount of freedom this summer as a way of rewarding them for the selflessness and maturity they showed last year. And while I commend you for being dedicated and magnanimous toward your children, I feel it is my duty to inform you that your trust may have been misplaced._

_{Mrs. Jones offers Rachel a seat at the table}_

_Rachel: Thank you. You should know that while you and the other parents have allowed Samcedes to partake in an unquantifiable amount of parental indulgence, they have thanked you for your generosity by abusing the privilege, nonstop. The truth of the matter, ugly though it may be, is that Sam and Mercedes have spent the entire summer engaging in reckless debauchery, with the expectation of you never finding them out._

_{Rachel sets laptop bag on top of table}_

_Rachel: Even though I am not now, nor have I ever been a parent; I do have an understanding of Black culture the likes of which no other member of New Directions can lay claim to, with the possible exception of Artie. I, unlike most people in Lima, understand the impact of your family's elevated socioeconomic status, and I feel I can correctly assume that you and Dr. Jones are devoted to raising your daughter in the tradition of the "Black American Princess."_

_{Rachel uses finger quotes to emphasize her point}_

_Rachel: As members in good standing of certain high-brow social clubs and reputable charitable organizations, it's highly understandable that you would have many rules concerning behavior and decorum to which Mercedes' adherence is expected at all times. _

_{Rachel opens laptop}_

_Rachel: Recently Mercedes and Sam have shown themselves capable of behaving in a way that neither you nor your husband would approve of. I have evidence of the behavior if you wish to see it._

_{Rachel gestures for Mrs. Jones to watch video}_

_Rachel: As you can see plainly, your daughter and her boyfriend aren't nearly as well-behaved and innocent as you seem to think they are. I can tell by the look on your face that you are as surprised as I was by their abominable behavior, and I sincerely apologize for causing you any disturbance. _

_{Rachel offers Mrs. Jones a sympathetic nod before continuing}_

_Rachel: However, I'm here to respectfully advise you to consider instituting any punishment that would remove the temptation for this type occurrence in the future. If I were in your place, I would think long and hard about allowing Mercedes to leave the nest and live in California at such an impressionable age..._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Danica POV:**

August 25, 2012

Well, the gang's all here again...back in my dining room. Sam and Mercedes at the head and foot of the table, each kid flanked by the other one's parents. The teenagers are fiddling their hands and looking down into their laps; while we parents glare at them, completely pissed off. Obviously, this occasion's not as happy as the last one. And unlike last time, I'm up first. See, these kids are in trouble, and they don't even know how much they're in. Each of us grown folks has a little something-something to talk to these two about, and we all decided to do it together. If Dwight were the first one to talk again, he'd probably just laugh at whatever explanation these two cook up. Bent knows his Baby-girl can pout her way outta trouble, and Mary's liable to go get a switch and whup these knuckleheads before we get the whole story out of them. I need more information, so I meet all the other grown-ups' eyes and we nod together before I start.

"First of all, before we talk about the whens, wheres, and what-the-hells; Please tell me why exactly that child came into my house dragging a laptop stuffed inside a neon pink _Hello Kitty _messenger bag, and suggested that I not let 'Cedes go to Los Angeles? She showed me that damn video, and then she spent forty-five minutes yesterday trying to convince me that Mercedes wasn't trustworthy enough to live across the country. Said she obviously wasn't ready to live so far away without parental supervision, and that keeping her closer to home would allow 'Cedes to mature enough to be able to handle the pressure it in a few years."

_I can't stand it when outsiders try to tell me how to raise my kids. I get enough of that shit from the members of our church._

Sam raised his hand, like a smartass and asked "Permission to speak?"

I smacked his head and received an appreciative nod from Mary before eventually telling him, "Go ahead."

Sam grinned and started, "Kurt told Tina that Rachel's meeting with Mr. Chism last month didn't go well at all. He opted not to sign her with his record company, and advised Rachel to learn more about music and humility before she pursued singing for a living."

"And Rachel believes he would have given her a chance if it hadn't been for me." Mercedes continued. "She's been telling Kurt that if I lost my deal, Mr. Cohen would probably reconsider taking her on."

Okay, now I'm confused. "I thought that bitch was all about the Broadway?"

"She is, but historically, there have been a lot of popular recording artists that starred in hits on Broadway, Mama. Toni Braxton, Ashlee Simpson, Fantasia, Patti Labelle, even Reba McEntire...they all parlayed their success on vinyl into picking and choosing which roles they could star in on the Great White Way." Mercedes explained. "Rachel thinks she could cut her struggle-time down by years if she gets acclaim as a pop star first."

"Also..." Sam added. "...what if Mercy got famous, then decided her new dream was to star as "Ariel" onstage? If Mercedes got a Tony before Rachel, the girl would have a cow!"

"So she came over here trying to hate."

Sam and Mercedes nodded together.

"Well, that damn video is a hot shitty mess, and I'll be damned if you two are getting away with this nonsense. We told you about embarrassing our families with a bunch of online bullshit. Why the hell were you guys even having a party in the first place? Seems to me like you've been throwing parties for no damn reason all summer long."

_Yeah, I'm getting mad now._

Sam answered. "Rory left back home for Ireland today. Sugar's his girlfriend and wanted to send him off Glee-style."

"So why the hell was Rachel invited? I thought everybody in Glee was sick of all her shit. 'Cedes, you told me nobody was hanging out with her all summer."

"Sugar and Rory were. Rachel and Kurt spent a lot of time with them while we were chillin' with everybody else. So Rory made Sugar invite them."

"And whose bright idea was it for you all to play Strip Poker?"

"Artie's" they both said together. "He thought it would be funny, since he's a really good card player." Sam finished.

"So when Rachel pulled out her phone and started recording, y'all just thought she was preserving it as a testament to friendship or something?" I asked them.

"She didn't do it with a phone, she used her tablet..." Sam answered. "...and we thought she was Face-Timing with that Harmony girl from the Unitards. They go shopping together sometimes..."

"Yeah, Mama; we didn't know what she'd done until we saw it on YouTube..."

* * *

**~Flashback~**

**August 21, 2012**

_{Ring}_

_Dwight: Hello._

_Burt Hummel: Hello, Dwight? It's Burt Hummel._

_Dwight: Hey, Burt...good to hear from you. How ya' been?_

_Burt Hummel: I'm doing alright, but my wife sure as hell isn't._

_Dwight: Oh, yeah?_

_Burt Hummel: Look, man I'm gonna just cut to the chase here. Last night your son brought my step-son home dead drunk and sick as a damn dog. We had to take Finn to the hospital to have his stomach pumped, and he could have died from alcohol poisoning. My wife's having hysterics and we're honestly pretty pissed off right now at every teenager in Lima. I just thought you should know about it._

_Dwight: Man, Burt...I'm sorry, I had no idea the boys would ever... Is there anything Mary and I can..._

_Burt Hummel: No, no, no...I'm sorry Dwight; I should have phrased that better. You misunderstood me; I'm not calling you to blame Sam. As far as I can tell, he didn't have anything to do with the drinking; your son was completely sober. Believe me, I checked. And he got Finn home safe; your boy's a good friend. But they're all underage and I'd want you to tell me if the tables were turned. I called all the other boys' parents this morning already._

_Dwight: Well, thank you Burt...I'll definitely be having a talk with Sam real soon about this._

_Burt Hummel: That's completely your call. I've done what I think is right...the rest is up to you guys._

_Dwight: Well, please tell Finn I have him in my prayers. My love to Carol, too._

_Burt Hummel: Will do. Hug Mary for me, talk to you later Dwight._

_Dwight: Bye Burt._

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

**Dwight POV: **

August 25, 2012

I swear these kids are gonna be the death of me. Dani's spittin' nails; Bent can't sit still, and Mary's turning bright red. I honestly thought those two were gonna go the whole summer without doing anything too stupid. But in the last five days every last one of us has gotten some news about our kids acting like monkeys-on-a-stick. Mary and me tried to come up with some suitable punishments on our own, before callin' the Joneses. But we all work better together...no way around that one. So we got ourselves out here this morning so we could get the whole story together. Once I repeated the gist of the conversation I had with Burt Hummel, I turned to meet my son's eyes; since I knew only the boys were involved in this particular escapade. He averted them and waited on me to start lecturing.

"Son, you wanna tell me why in the hell I got that call?"

"I guess, Burt didn't wanna be the only parent who knew what happened?" Sam guessed.

"And what exactly did happen?" I probed.

Sam and Hershey shot each other a look and they answered together.

"Sam told me Puck organized a going away bro-party for Finn, you know...since he's leaving next week." Mercy explained.

"It was me, Puck, Finn, Mike, Artie, and Blaine." Sam elaborated. "We played video games and ate pizza in our boxer shorts. Like a little kids' sleepover, since we're all growing up or whatever."

"So at which point in the 'little kids' sleepover' did y'all decide to break out the keg? After the pillow fight?" I asked, as calmly as I could.

"There wasn't a keg, Dad...Finn had a bottle of tequila on him. He brought it over intending to get drunk."

"When Sam told me all about their plans for the night he never mentioned any alcohol." Hershey put in. "I figured the worst thing to happen at the party would be a bunch of stomach-aches from all the junk food."

"But Finn was super depressed," continued my son. "He talked all night long about how much he missed Rachel and how he didn't wanna go into the Army cause they were gonna make him start working out, and how he wasn't ready to be a grown-up. Then he started taking shots one right after the other, so Puck and Blaine started drinking with him so he wouldn't drink the whole bottle by himself. Things would have been even worse if he'd gotten alcohol poisoning."

I looked over at Benton, to see if he believed Sam. Since Bent was in the Armed Forces he'd know if that kinda thing was normal. Bent nodded, although he did it a little reluctantly.

"After about six shots, Finn started crying and blubbering all over the place about how his Dad got killed in Iraq and he didn't wanna go on the front lines cause he was scared, and how upset his mother would be if she had to bury him too. Said even if he didn't die, he'd probably end up addicted to drugs just like him."

"Mama, Daddy, Mr. and Mrs. Evans...it sounded really bad to me, Sam called me on speaker while Finn was going on and on," Hershey said.

"Then Puck suggested we all try to sleep, but Finn wanted to go home to his mom. Said he missed her, so I drove him."

"But drinking, Sam? Y'all know we're not dumb...we realize kids experiment. But you gotta know your limits."

"Finn doesn't drink much, as far as we know...we've never seen him do it." Mercy defended.

"And he was angling to be messed up. That was his whole intention. But I'm sorry for not trying to stop him when I saw how bad it was getting." Sam finally admitted.

"You remember what we told you about using good judgment this summer?

"Yes, Sir…"

"Yeah, Dad…"

"Well, this little episode was a far cry from it. You know we can't let you off the hook for this right?" At this point it was a matter of principle.

Samcedes just nodded and hung their heads in shame.

* * *

**~Flashback~**

**August 19, 2012**

_{Shane walks up to Mr. Jones outside church}_

_Shane: Hello, Doc Jones...How've you been?_

_Benton: Can't complain, Shane. And you?_

_Shane: Same here. I'm actually glad I ran into you today. I had a little something I wanted to discuss with you or Mrs. Jones. _

_Benton: What's that? Do I need to go get my wife?_

_Shane: Oh, no...that won't be necessary. I just, well did Mercedes tell you she and I ran into each other at the movies not too long ago?_

_Benton: No, not that I recall._

_Shane: Well, she was with a few of her friends from that Glee Club and two of them attacked me for making an innocent comment. _

_Benton: Attacked you? Who was it...Puck, or Finn? That sure doesn't sound like them._

_Shane: I don't think it was either one of them...but there's no way for me to be sure, it all happened so fast._

_Benton: Well, son that's too bad. I hope you weren't hurt._

_Shane: I'll pull through. I just thought I should let you know what kind of people you daughter spends her time with. The attack was pretty brutal, and I know you and Mrs. Jones wouldn't want Mercedes going places and doing things that could cause her trouble later on._

_Benton: That's true._

_Shane: Plus, both you and I both know if I'd have gone after any of them in retaliation, I'd be in jail right now. And if I'd have called the authorities on them, then Mercedes would have gotten in trouble, too. Black people can't get away with the things White people can in this country. I'm just looking out for her. _

_Benton: Well, good looking out, Shane._

_Shane: No problem, Doc Jones._

_Benton: Was that all, Shane?_

_Shane: That's it, but maybe you and your wife ought to be more mindful of the company your daughter keeps. She should be spending more time with her church family than the people in that club. Less of a bad influence. Anyway, just a suggestion. See you later, Doc Jones._

_Benton: Yeah, see you Shane._

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

**Benton POV:**

August 25, 2012

Now it's my turn...and the kids don't even realize I know about this one. Dwight gives me the go-ahead to let me know he's done, so I start. "I honestly have no idea where to begin, Sam and Mercedes. First of all, I'm really disappointed in you two. I thought you knew better than to pick on somebody for any reason…"

_This shit has me completely fucked up, I didn't even think our kids were even capable of this kinda shit. _

"…You guys belong to a club where people throw slushies at you just for walking down the damn hall. So why would you ever talk your friends into double-teaming Shane?" Sam spoke first.

"Wait, he said we got somebody to double-team him?" Sam asked, looking confused.

"Daddy, you think I'm a bully?" Mercedes shot me this hurt expression that nearly broke my heart.

"Shane came up to me after church and informed me that he was just talking to you at the movie theater and was attacked by two of your guys' friends. Said they jumped him so fast he couldn't even tell which two boys it was. And I know you don't like Tinsley, but that type of foolery..."

"Okay, Daddy let me stop you right there before you say something even more hurtful to me or Sam."

I shouldn't have let Baby-girl get away with interrupting me like that, but she knows exactly how to get her way with me; so I just nodded so she could go on.

Sam asked 'Cedes, "Is he talking about when..."

Baby-girl nodded and told me "Daddy, Shane knew exactly who hit him, and it wasn't any of the boys. He was crowing about me and Sam breaking up so Tana and Tina kicked him in the nuts. They pushed him down on the ground and kicked him, too."

I caught Dani, Dwight and Mary laughing their asses off, and I could admit that it _was _kinda funny to picture those two little girls beating Shane's ass. I didn't join in though, since I had a job to do. "Santana and Tina...two girls? He made it seem like..."

"Oh, I can just about guess what he made it seem like." Mercedes rolled her eyes. "You remember the two weeks me and Sam went to separate churches? Cause he was covering for the guitarist at his and I had to sing at ours? Well, church gossip had Shane thinking we'd broken up."

"And when he tried to 'console' Mercy the same way he did last year -so he could swoop in on her- Shane got into an argument with the girls." Sam added.

"Shane got mad and started saying really offensive things about Sam eventually leaving me for a White girl, and his family being Crackers who'd make us break up one day anyway. And you know Santana and Tina don't get down with that racist stuff." Mercedes explained.

That damn boy, playing me with all that Black man solidarity stuff. No wonder my wife can't stand him. "And you didn't encourage them in any way?" I eyed Baby-girl.

"I may have yelled at him when he talked smack about the Evans family, but I didn't say a word to them about going after Shane, Daddy...honest."

That's my angel.

"Plus, Doc Jones...why would he come to you about it? I mean, you don't even attend service every Sunday. This happened almost a month ago, and he could have spoken with Mrs. Dani at anytime since then. He obviously waited to make his move for a time he could go running to you with the information," Sam puzzled.

"It's 'cause Mama would have asked a bunch of questions and let him know she was skeptical about his story from the get-go. Shane knows she doesn't trust a word out of his mouth," Mercedes answered Sam's question before I could.

"Well you guys are still wrong for having that kind of altercation in public. You could have been arrested or something. I can see right now, we're all gonna have to have a talk about impulse control up in here. All the freedom we gave you this summer seems to have had a negative effect on the way you two behave with your little friends."

The kids just looked at me with fear all over their faces.

* * *

**~Email~**

Date: August 23, 2012

_From: Olivia Cohen-Chang__cohcha_oliv _

_To: Mary __Evanscountrymamalove _

_Subject: Teenagers!_

_Hi, Mary_

_Olivia Cohen-Chang here. How you been? I hope you and the family are doing well, but I have a little bit of disturbing news and felt it would be appropriate to share it with you sooner, rather than later. _

_Last night I was doing laundry and noticed that some of Tina's things had gotten mixed in with my own. So I entered her room so I could put them into her drawer. Just as I was about to leave, Tina came out of her bathroom wearing only her underwear. The first thing she did when she saw me standing there was try to use the towel she'd been drying her hair with, to hide something on her hip. Of course, knowing my daughter, I became suspicious. It took some doing, Tina can be really stubborn and willful; but I eventually discovered that she had gotten a tattoo!_

_I'm sure I don't have to tell you how upsetting I found the idea of my child defacing her body with needle and ink, so I was understandably pretty angry. When I finished yelling, and Tina finally stopped crying, she admitted that she'd gotten the body art done in Kentucky when she and Mike went for a visit with Sam and Mercedes. And that all four teens did it together. I thought I'd let you know, because apparently they were planning to keep the news a secret from us parents._

_I know better than most how rebellious teenagers can be, so I won't even insult you by asking where you were when this happened… Believe me, I have stories about Tina's willful behavior that would curl your hair. I only send this because I'd hate myself if you guys never found out by accident, too. I am so sorry that it happened...if I am not mistaken the idea of tattoos came from Mike, so I honestly feel partially responsible. I know you, your wife, and the Joneses try to parent by committee more often than not, so would you take care of letting Danica and Benton know?_

_Thank you, so much Mary...again, I'm so sorry to be the bearer of such horrible news. But please, have a great day!_

_Olivia. :/_

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

**Mary POV:**

August 25, 2012

As I passed out print-outs of the email I received two days ago, I made sure to pinch my son in the same spot I used to get him whenever he was little and was squirming in church. And I shot Mercedes a death glare while she sheepishly looked down at the floor. Then I cleared my throat so I could start yellin'.

"Sam and Mercedes, you two think you're so cute and smart...coming up with all these reasons for why the stuff you pulled couldn't be helped. And y'all may have some good ones for that other mess, but I remember specifically telling' you two you'd be in big trouble if you got caught doin' one damn thing you knew we'd disapprove of."

I turned to face Sam, who was biting his lip.

Then I put my hands on my hip before telling him, "Now Sam, I ain't never minced words when I told you I think getting a tattoo is the trashiest, tackiest thing a person could ever do to their body."

Then I looked over at his girlfriend and pointed my finger at her.

"And Mercedes, your Mama told me a long time ago that she refused to give you permission to get one when you turned 16; that you ended up getting the nose ring instead."

I gestured at both of 'em switching my head back and forth so they'd know they both were on my list. "Which means you did it knowing we'd be plenty ticked off when we found out. Then you tried to be sneaky and hide it from us like a couple of cat burglars. What in the hell could you possibly say to defend doing somethin' so awful?"

Mercedes started, "Well, Mrs. Mary, do you remember when we came to Kentucky with Mike and Tina to visit you guys in the middle of August? And you two took the twins to Bible Study that Wednesday? The four of us were just hanging out in the guest room watching movies."

"Yeah, and Tina started crying, right in the middle of _XXX_. Just out of the blue." Sam interjected.

"When I finally got her to start talking..." Mercedes continued. "...Tina told me she was just really upset that the four of us wouldn't be able to hang out like that anymore, at least not regularly."

"That got all of us to thinking about how much fun we'd had all summer long and how much our friendships mean to us. But mostly it just reminded us about how much it was gonna hurt to be separated from our boyfriends and girlfriends." Sam offered, looking over at Mercedes.

"So there we all were, sad and upset about what was gonna happen after Mike and I left in September." Mercedes looked sort of sad now, just thinking about it. "It was seriously depressing."

"Then I made a joke about how Tina could always get a lock of Mike's hair, and have it made into a charm or something so she'd always have a part of him on her. And Mike suggested we all get something to keep close at all times. And the tattoos just grew out of the conversation."

"How in the hell did you even know where to go? And was it safe? Plus, the girl's aren't even old enough!"

My hands were twitchin', I wanted to beat them both so bad.

"Well, Tina went online and researched all the body art shops in Lexington. We went to the ones that were rated best on Yahoo. The store we finally picked got a score of '100' from the health department, so we figured it was safe."

"And as long as somebody 18 or older gives permission, anybody who's at least 16 can get a tat." Sam explained. "I gave Mercy permission, and Mike did it for Tina."

By this time I was curious, so I said, "Well let's see 'em, I gotta know exactly what kinda White trash my son is gonna be walkin' around looking like."

So Sam took off his shirt and I searched his whole torso for any ink, but couldn't find any right off the bat. Mercedes rummaged through her purse so she could throw him some kinda makeup removal wipe, and he used it to get what looked like concealer off his chest. Eventually, I could see the words "Hell To The No" written in fancy purple script right above his pectoral muscle.

How lovely.

"Ladies and Gentleman, introducin' my son and his written testament to thug love..." I spat out. Dwight reached over to rub my arm and calm me down, Bent and Dani cackled their asses off, and Sam struck a gangster-rap pose in response. Mercedes refused to meet my eyes, but I could see her bitin' her lip.

"Alright, Miss Diva; you're next," I informed her. Then Mercedes turned around and lifted her Afro so I could see she'd gotten a picture of one of them blue Na'vi people with the cat eyes and tails inked onto the back of her neck. I swear that damn boy...

"I never expected you, of all people to ever let Sammy lead you down the garden path, Mercedes. And you?" I turned back to Sam "You got something against Tweety Bird and Butterflies?" He shrugged and Mercedes bit back a giggle. At least the damn things could be hidden.

"What did Mike and Tina get?" I asked, out of curiosity more than anything.

"Well, Tina put 'Mike Chang Forever' on her hip bone. And Mike got a picture of an Angry Bird with the initials TCC underneath on his calf muscle." Sam answered.

Again, I rolled my eyes. "Seein' as how this falls directly under the 'things you know we don't approve of' category, why don't you two tell me exactly why we shouldn't pack Sammy up right now and cart him back to Kentucky with us?"

The kids looked frightened out of their minds, but I wasn't here to play Good Cop.

Then Benton folded his arms across his chest said in agreement, "That's what the hell I wanna know, too. Before we get into talking about punishment, maybe you tell us what's to stop us from keeping the two of you apart until Sam graduates from high school...You two know you can't stay close without our support."

Then Dwight chimed in "So go 'head; make your plea for leniency..."

Mercedes went first. "First of all, can we just ask that you consider the source before deciding on a punishment?"

"Yeah," Sam added. "Shane wants Mercy and Rachel wants to _be_ Mercy. So any trouble we get into about something they told you or showed you would only play into their reasons for telling tales. Especially since they pretty much manufactured the situations in the first place."

"Plus, Mama you can't stand Shane; and Mrs. Mary, Rachel gets on your last nerve. Why would you help them mess with us?" Mercedes pleaded.

Danica answered her with, "Whether or not we trust the motives of the people telling us about the things you two did, it doesn't change the fact that you two still took part in them..."

And I agreed, "Yeah, why in the hell should we care how we found out?"

The kids shot each other another look before Sam offered. "You have to realize that playing Strip Poker is not the kind of thing Mercy or I would ever suggest. Also, we would never have even participated if we thought for one second that we'd lose. And we were right...Mercy and I hadn't lost any clothes."

"Sammy was shirtless in that video!" I argued.

"Sammy's always shirtless!" Mercedes defended. I rolled my eyes and had to admit she had a point.

"As for Puck's party, Sam never took a single drink. He was there to celebrate and everything with his friends, but when Finn pulled out the bottle he immediately went into watch and protect mode."

"Yeah, the party was over for me the second Finn seemed to be bent on getting drunk," Sam added.

"And he got Finn home safely, Ms. Mary." Mercedes pointed out. Then she turned to give Bent a pleading look. "Daddy, even you can see plainly that Shane deserved everything he got. Mama told you how he broke us up last year, and he was trying the same thing again. I had to defend my relationship."

That's when Sam put his two cents in. "Look, we all know Santana has issues with rage; if she'd been the only one going off I'd say you all probably had plenty of reason to be mad at Mercy for not nipping it in the bud and getting out of there. But Tina? I wasn't there to see or hear everything Shane said; but I know if he made _**Tina**_ mad enough to put hands on him then he was really being a dick."

I shot Sammy a glare for his language and asked, "And the tattoo?" There was no way for those two to explain that one away.

"Can't say anything other than how sorry we were for sneaking and lying." Sam started.

"Only justification we have was how sad we all were..." Mercedes finished. "...and at the time, it made us feel better. We don't regret getting them…but we do regret disappointing you guys."

"All right you two, we parents got some thinking and talking to do. So get lost, but don't go too far." Dwight must have figured we had all the info we could possibly need to get on with our discussion.

"Yeah, you can go up to 'Cedes room or downstairs while we decide how you're gonna be punished," chimed in Dani.

Mercedes tried hittin' her daddy with one of her pouts. "Don't give me that look Baby-girl...you just better be glad this shit didn't happen any earlier in the summer. As far as I can tell you two been on some serious 'fun in the sun' bullshit for a minute. Well, summer's over now."

And I got in the last word. "Y'all did the crime...so get ready to do the time." I stood and went to sit in the seat Sam had just left and Dwight followed me to sit right beside Dani. "Now git..."

Sam and Mercedes clasped hands and left the room to go upstairs.

* * *

**A/N: I told you there was some foreshadowing going on...who guessed any of it? I mean, the kids been tore up from the floor up all summer, hence the drinking. And all the sexy games? Strip Poker seemed inevitable. The tats are my way of reconciling the fact that Mercy got a fake one in Vegas with the way Tina showed up on the first episode of S4 all inked down. The Shane shit was just because I wanted to kick him in the nuts repeatedly. I hope you guys liked it, and that you're still here for this.**

**I hope everybody stays tuned! Next Wednesday...bright and early I'll post Chapter 19. If you want to know the exact parameters of the punishment you have to come back! I suck at cliff-hangers, so this pitiful attempt to create some tension is probably more painful for me than it is for you guys.  
**

**Thanks for all the love!**


	19. So, What Happened question mark

**A/N: I hope everyone found the stuff from last chapter entertaining. Now you're about to find out how the couple is being punished. I added a little bit of Kurtcedes in here, because even though Miss Jones realizes that they will never be as close as they were before, Kurt finally understands the value of loyalty; even in friendships that are over. Also, he feels guilty. **

**Illiandyandra and Annikay were very instrumental in helping me plot this chapter out. They offered advice when I really had no idea where to go towards the end. And they cosigned on all my crazy, too lol. So I'm send a huge shout-out their way in thanks. **

**Thanks to all the readers for the love!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

* * *

**Mercedes POV:**

I was sitting in my room the day after Sam's folks and mine reamed us out, when Mama called out that I had a visitor. I knew Sam was at Salvation Army working, so I had no clue who in the hell it could be. When my door opened I saw Kurt walk through my bedroom door for the first time since February. He walked in, shut the door, then came and sat beside me on the bed and took both of my hands in his. Kurt looked me deeply in the eye, and blurted out in a really weird voice, "Diva, I'm so sorry for everything that's happened. I owe you so much, and I've treated my friendship with you the way I treat clothes from Target." I kind of laughed because, even though that was exactly the way I felt, I never expected him to admit it. "Please, Mercedes...don't even interrupt me to tell me I'm forgiven. I don't deserve your forgiveness. I only came over to explain some things and offer you my support, in whatever way you'll allow me to extend it."

I was taken aback by how forceful he was being with me, and I found it surprising enough to just nod so he could continue.

"Okay, first of all...let me just admit that I knew exactly what Rachel was planning to do with that tape of everyone at Sugar's party. She'd already told me in not so many words that she planned to sabotage your record deal, and when I saw her pull the tablet out I saw what was coming. I'm so sorry I never tried to warn you. Rachel did the exact same thing to me, with Student Council elections; still, I let her poison your life out of bitterness and jealousy. That's the first thing I need to apologize for."

"Okay." It was after the fact, but whatever. Kurt went on.

"Second, I know all of our boy Gleeks got into serious trouble for what happened at Puck's, and I feel completely responsible."

"How in the..." I started.

"Please, Mercedes..." he stopped me."...I'm the only one, other than Rachel and Quinn, who's ever been able to successfully bully Finn into doing anything or to stop doing anything. If I had been at the party, I know I could have made him stop drinking." Kurt took a deep breath and averted eyes for a moment. "Puck invited me, and Blaine begged me to go; but I was so mad at everyone for excluding me all summer that I turned them down. If I had chosen friendship over my anger, the parents would have been none the wiser."

I didn't say anything, but I'd had the same thought when Sam called me for advice about what to do with Finn. I nodded so Kurt would realize I agreed with him.

"Third, and most importantly I want to thank you for being my best friend even when I forgot to be yours. You have to know, Mercedes, that the times I spent with you discussing fashion and music were some of the best of my life." Mine too. I smiled at him briefly. "Mercedes, the last time we spoke, you mentioned the time I accused you of using me as a substitute for a boyfriend."

I nodded again. "I remember...and it really crushed me Kurt." I don't even think it was fair... Because if any man of mine ever wanted to watch musicals and go shopping with me for fun? I'd probably cut him.

"Well, I was unfair to you when I said that. At the time I had no frame of reference, but never should have said it, regardless. I've watched you with Sam these past months, and I can honestly say that our previous relationship bears absolutely no resemblance to what you two have together." Kurt paused to take another breath. "And I also owe you an apology for accusing you of doing something that I was guilty of all along. I used you as a replacement for my mother; I understand that now. Being so close to Rachel lately has taught me one thing I can't deny...and that's how much I crave the company of a nurturing, kind, giving woman in my life. When my dad married Carol, it was really easy to substitute her for you. So I'm sorry for that as well."

"I figured that out awhile ago, Kurt." I waved the apology away. "And believe me; I never minded it in the least. I liked being Mama Mercy. Still do."

He grinned at me; Kurt knows me well enough to have understood that part, too.

"Mercedes, is there anything I can do? Like, maybe go to your parents and explain away some of the trouble you guys are in? I know all the drama Rachel and I started this summer has definitely played a part in exacerbating some of your behavior changes. Can I make a plea on your behalf for leniency?" Kurt seemed legitimately concerned.

"Don't worry about it, Kurt... There's honestly nothing you can do at this point. Sam's parents are making him go back to Lexington for the last week of the summer, and I leave on the fourth for LA. We can go to church together tomorrow, but then we're forbidden any contact until New Year's Eve." Kurt shot me a sympathetic look, and seemed to be tearing up. "I have to concentrate on school and work," I continued. And if Sam wants to stay at McKinley, then he has to get a job and start developing a school life outside of sports and Glee. If we comply, we'll start 2013 as a newly reinstated couple with full visitation rights."

"But that's insane!" Kurt seemed truly upset. "I thought all of the parents completely supported you two as a couple…Rory and Sugar never quit talking about all the joint family vacations, the freedom you two've been given…"

I shrugged my shoulders. "All of that kind of worked against us, if you want the truth. It _is _true that Mama and Mrs. Mary are convinced Sam and I can't be happy unless we're together. But they also feel that all the stuff we got into trouble for proves that spending so much time together before we mature a little more will jeopardize that. She thinks if we make bad choices together the repercussions could destroy our love."

"Oh."

"And the daddies…" I continued, "…were so convinced that we needed these three months to make up for all of our time spent apart. But they think we let so much stuff happen around us because Sam and I were in a lovey-dovey bubble. They feel like we need a shot of distance, now. Both of them want us to appreciate our togetherness and make good choices together. Re-gain some perspective."

"Oh, Diva... I'm so very sorry!" Kurt looked astonished, sad, and affronted on my behalf. "However will you survive?"

"Thanks Kurt." I put on a brave face. "Keeping busy, I guess. You'll look in on him for me for as long as you stay in Lima, right?"

"Of course! What about your brothers?" Kurt asked. "Are they mad at Sam, should I talk to them so they won't try to beat him up or something?"

Like my brothers would even listen to Kurt when I already have those two wrapped around my fingers. "It's not a problem, Porcelain; Maya and Missy made those two get their names tattooed into their shoulders a year ago. They understand." I bet they bought Sam a welcome-to-the-club gift to pick on him, anyway.

Kurt wrung his hands, as if trying to shake the absolutely Lifetime Movie Network-worthy drama from his pale skin, and stood up. "Well, that's really all I came to say. I guess I should..." He gestured to the door.

I agreed so I stood up to go with him. "Okay, see you around Kurt."

It was kind of sad to know we were shutting the door on or former closeness; but given the things I'd been through this summer and, hell, over the past few days...I can't say the feeling had the same impact it would have had several months ago.

I walked my former bestie to the door and he got halfway into the hallway before turning back around suddenly.

"Before I leave, Mercedes... Is what I heard about the tattoo true?" Kurt asked, shyly. "I'm not asking so I can gossip about you. I just wondered. Feel free to tell me to mind my own business."

I saw his curiously as plain as the product in his hair, so I threw him a bone. "You heard right..." I turned and lifted my hair. "Wanna see?"

"Oh my Gaga, Mercedes...That looks amazing!" Kurt exclaimed. "The perfect way to remember Sam when you two are separated. What did he get?"

"'Hell-To-The-No' on his chest. And if you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you about the ones we vetoed before deciding on these."

"On my vintage McQueen sweater vest," Kurt promised, holding up his right hand. When Kurt swore on his favorite clothes, you could usually count on him to keep his word.

"Well, Sammy wanted me to get the likeness of his fingerprints on my butt-cheek." I laughed.

"What in the..."

"And you know that super hunky muscle group Sam has at his hipbone?" I interrupted him. "The one that makes him look fake whenever he goes shirtless and his pants are low-slung?"

"The Ken-doll cut, of course..."

"I was gonna let the tattoo artist make a composite of my lips and have him ink them onto Sammy right there."

"Wow," if I'm not mistaken, that was Kurt's impressed-but-still-disapproving face. "Thank Chanel you guys gave it a second thought."

"Right? But anyway...goodbye Kurt."

I offered him a nice hug.

He accepted it. "Goodbye Mercedes." Then he left.

Afterwards, I went back to my bed and smiled. Not because I'd just gotten the apologies I've been craving, or because Kurt and I had finally put the final pin in what our relationship would be. I smiled because I remembered what happened yesterday; after we were ordered to go away, but before our parents told us what our punishment would be...

* * *

**~Flashback~**

**Omniscient POV:**

_Sam and Mercedes entered her room and immediately locked the door for privacy._

_Mercedes walked quickly over to her bookcase/computer desk. The furniture was painted white, with lavender curlicues and gold drawer handles. She reached into the lowest drawer and whispered to Sam "Back of my closet, behind my leggings Baby."_

_While Mercedes removed what appeared to be a plastic shopping bag from the drawer, Sam entered his girlfriend's walk-in and immediately found a locked box. After returning from inside the closet he asked, "Key?"_

_Mercedes busied herself removing several items from the bag onto her bed, and answered "Taped to the bottom of my alarm clock." _

_By the time Sam had brought the locked box and the aforementioned key over to the bed to join Mercedes, she was deeply involved in assembling two cell phones. He asked her, "Where's the..."_

_Mercedes plugged both phones into the wall chargers and replied, "Oh, yeah...bathroom, bottom drawer. Be warned...that's the drawer nobody goes in but me; lady things, you dig?"_

_Sam blushed slightly, but rallied immediately. "Got you...be right back." Then he left the room once more. _

_Then Mercedes proceeded to turn on and activate both cell phones using the instructions printed on the boxes. By the time Sam had returned, she'd programmed each phone number into the other handset. Then the teenager left them to fully charge. _

_Sam got back, revealed the envelope he'd retrieved from Mercedes bathroom, and pulled out several monetary notes. The couple counted the money together. _

"_$1,210? We managed to squirrel away $1,210 in three months? Without working steady jobs?" Sam exclaimed, excitedly._

"_Well, Baby you know how much we had leftover from our vacation to Vegas. And every time our parents chipped in on a Glee get-together or sent us shopping for stuff around the house with cash we saved all the change. Not to mention half the money we made doing ad-posts online."_

_Mercedes was well aware that the other half was being added to Sam's ongoing ring-purchase fund._

_Sam returned the money to the envelope, then placed it on top of the desk and bragged, "And I cleaned out my Gotta-Go-Get-My-Girl fund from Lexington to add to the pot, don't forget that!" _

"_Yep, that's where I got the idea," Mercedes admitted._

"_Still not quite sure how you knew we were gonna get into trouble before we even did anything." Sam wondered, the last of many times. He was opening the box he'd pulled from behind Mercedes' clothes in her closet._

"_Please..." Mercedes rolled her eyes incredulously. "...All the freedom we want for a whole summer? We were bound to get into some shit. It was only a matter of time, Baby." _

_Sam pulled out two tablet PC's and plugged them in using the USB cords plugged into her desktop._

"_You're right," Sam added. "Old people are all about giving kids just enough rope to hang themselves with. Did you notice just now, how our parents pretended like we were acting a fool without them having any clue? And the whole time it was their idea...I mean, I was all set to work my ass off again this year!" He powered the devices on and waited for them to boot up._

"_Same here...they're the ones who came up with this scheme so we could show our asses. But the minute we test our limits, they wanna act all surprised. Good Lord above, we're kids! Plus too, they act like they never did anything like this when they were our age." _

_Then Mercedes turned her attention to the LCD screens Sam was currently inspecting. _

_"Anyway, baby, I honestly didn't KNOW, know that we'd end up getting into any trouble. I just wanted a contingency plan just in case something happened to separate us again."_

_Sam gave Mercedes a contemplative look. "What do you mean?"_

_"You remember that night in Florida where I kept waking up to think about all the things that had ever come between us?"_

_Sam nodded._

_"Well, it's a feeling I get a lot; ever since we got back together, actually." Mercedes made this statement rather matter-of-factly, and Sam nodded once more._

_"I'm not complaining, Mercy...otherwise we'd have been screwed. What do you think they'll do to us?"_

_Sam seemed worried._

_"I have no clue but we should totally plan for the worst case scenario." Mercedes gestured to the tablet PCs she and Sam had been inspecting. _"_Okay, since our laptops are definitely gonna be the first thing they take from us, we can use these to keep in touch. Skype is already installed on both, so we can just make up our minds to talk every night, say, nine o'clock?" Sam nodded. "Even if it's only for thirty minutes, we'll be seeing each other's faces on the daily."_

"_What if they restrict our internet access?" Sam inquired, still playing with his device._

"_Library, restaurants with free WiFi, start visiting friends more often. I got covers online that look like books; yours is a graphic novel, and mine is Little Women. So even if the 'rents get a glimpse of them they won't realize we still have computers." Mercedes handed Sam his before continuing. "Don't be tempted to use it at home, though…if that thing shows up on your family's wireless network, that'll blow everything. I'm cool once I leave next week, but until then I'll do the same thing." _

"_And the phones?" Sam wondered, picking up one of them._

"_You know they're gonna monitor the ones we have on our family contracts. So these are pre-paid. We can get unlimited phone, text and data for fifty bucks a month and I activated both with a hundred dollar phone card. We're good for September and October." Mercedes handed him a card. "This'll take care of November and December."_

"_Why'd you get flip phones?" Sam looked positively confused by how un-stylish his new undercover gadget was._

"_Who's gonna see it, Sam?" Mercedes laughed at her boyfriend's obvious distaste for the old-school device. "We're keeping them a secret...plus, they were the only ones I could find that could be hidden really easily. I could stick this thing in between my bra cups and come down to dinner; my folks wouldn't suspect a thing. Yours would probably fit in your sock!" _

_Sam immediately objected. "No, not in your bra, Mercedes. You know they cause breast cancer; and I love your tatas to much to risk it…"_

_Mercedes slapped playfully at Sam's shoulder._

"… _But I can see how easy they'd be to hide. What about the rest of the money?"_

_"Plan on me coming back to Lima every three weeks until it runs out. Let's just pray I make enough to keep it going until New Year's." Mercedes tried to look hopeful._

_Sam nodded enthusiastically. "I'll send you what I can, Babe... Oh, and I'll be on the lookout for airfare sales, too."_

_Mercedes laughed. "Yeah, I've got a feeling me and Spirit Airlines are gonna be getting well and truly acquainted in the next few months."_

"_My baby is so smart..." Sam crossed over to his girlfriend and wrapped his arms around her as if it were his last time doing so._

_"Smart enough to love you, Sam Evans." Mercedes carded her fingers though his blond locks, hoping a kiss was forthcoming._

_Sam smiled lecherously, and then dipped his head. "That makes two of us, Baby," the boy whispered, right before covering Mercedes' lips with his own._

* * *

**A/N: Epilogue is next, and all the answers will be included there. So stay tuned. I am still tweaking it, and to be honest, I don't want to end this story yet. So I will update it bright and early on April 1.**

**I think April Fools Day is a wonderful time for closure, especially when you consider how goofy my ass is. I thank you all for your patience, as I will be using this time to concentrate on **_**What I Want**_**.**

**Loves Ya!**


	20. Epilogue

**A/N: This is an epilogue, set on the day of Samcedes' 15****th**** wedding anniversary. It will fill in some gaps in the story and illustrate what's been going on in the lives of the ND crew…I hope it doesn't disappoint!**

**Thank you Illy! You helped me keep my self-imposed April Fools Day deadline. and I owe you for it…**

**Disclaimer: This part of the story is all mine; the product of my overactive imagination. While I don't own the characters, I claim full ownership of what I've done here. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Sam POV:**

**July 4, 2034**

So, it's the day of my fifteenth wedding anniversary, and I'm lying on a blanket on the beach in Miami, Florida. My wife, Mercedes is inside our hotel suite getting together an early picnic dinner for our entire family with the women, and I'm on baby duty. It's about four in the afternoon, and I'm surrounded by our three sleeping children.

This anniversary trip is a really important one. Mercedes and I usually drop the kids off with their grandparents or aunts and uncles to take in a nice romantic dinner before putting on a big firework display in one of our yard. We always make it a point to bring in every year of our lives together with a big, loud bang. But this year, we packed up the kids, bought tickets to Florida for the whole extended family, and made it a big getaway… just like when we all went to Orlando for Mercedes' family reunion twenty-two years ago. This year, we have even more blessings we want to celebrate, so we made it a huge production. But I'll get into that in a little while.

Right now I look over at our kids, napping and snoring…and maybe drooling a little bit, too. They're really pooped, because we took them swimming really early in the hotel pool, then we had lunch and diving lessons off of this huge sailboat we hired for the afternoon. The rugrats just got done building a huge sand house-since castles are "boring," after which they buried me and their uncles; so they're super tired. Hence the nap.

Mercedes and I have never been the types of parents to read "Sleeping Beauty" books to our kids at bedtime…I don't do it, since my dyslexia tends to make words swim around on pages. Especially after a long hard day of work. And Mercedes always says she wants her babies to grow up thinking outside the box at all times. So we tell them stories about our lives together, stories about our friends, and things we did in high school all those years ago, instead. Therefore, our oldest son, Michael Benton Evans knows he's named primarily after Michael Jackson. If it weren't for our "Human Nature" duet in high school, his mom and I might not have gotten back together when we did. So we named him after MJ out of gratitude. Mickey's 8, and pretty much the spitting image of me; his hair is a dusky blonde, and he's the lightest complected out of our three kids. Mickey's really into playing the guitar and the drums, and keeps trying to get us to let him audition to play music at our church. The only reason we say no is because he already takes Karate lessons, plays PeeWee football, and does Upward Soccer league already. We don't want any of our kids overextended.

Our middle child, John Dwight, is well aware that he's named after John Travolta; partly because "Summer Nights" from _Grease _is sort of our official couple theme song. And partly because I got my girl back after she sang "Disco Inferno" during _Saturday Night Fever _week in Glee. 'Cedes and I owe both of those dudes a lot of credit for helping to get our relationship back on track back in 2012, and our kids' names reflect that. Johnny's 5 years old, and he looks like Mercedes mostly. He may have my lips, but he has her nose and cheekbones. He has this super curly mop of brown hair like that dude from _High School Musical_, and laughs exactly like his mom when he gets tickled. Johnny is musical, too, but unlike his big bro he concentrates all his efforts on the keyboards. He has a real love for bluegrass music, even at such an early age…and he loves to dance. My youngest boy beats me every time we play _Michael Jackson Experience_, and is a total Mama's Boy.

Our babygirl, Mary Danielle, is named after her grandmothers. Mercy's mom never liked her name but loves the small variation we made on it for her grandbaby girl's middle name. And Mercy always wanted a name she could shorten to "Mimi," in homage to Mariah Carey, or "ReRe," to honor Aretha Franklin. Thank God her mother-in-law's name fit them both. Mary's two, and a serious handful.

A little bit down the beach, I see Mercedes' brothers Matt and Marc. They each got married in 2016, after Marc graduated from law school. It was a huge double wedding where the girls in the wedding party wore purple and the guys wore yellow. All six of the parents gave their kids away, and the wedding was performed by my Dad. It was big, confusing, and loud. But also fun. Matt and Marc live next door to one another in Chicago and managed to have all their kids within four days of each other. Maya and Missy each had a set of twins twelve years ago, a boy and a girl apiece. And all of their kids names start with "M," so whenever our kids visit their cousins, they have to figure out which "MJ" is in trouble whenever someone's mom starts yelling.

My bro Stevie was with them, he's 31 now, and got married to his high school sweetheart about ten years ago. Her name's Johnna. Those two met junior year in try-outs for the drama club's production of _Dreamgirls_. Johnna played Effie White. She's a lot like Mercedes, physically and sings almost as good as my lovely wife. He played Curtis Taylor, Jr, thanks to color-blind casting… My little bro and his wife are a great couple, been making their living doing musical theater ever since they high-tailed it to New York after high school. Right now they live in a huge loft in Brooklyn; Jo-Jo's playing Sophia in a traveling production of _The Color Purple_, and Stevie's in rehearsals for this new play based on the life of Bruce Lee. They don't have a theater booked yet, but the show is amazing, from what he's told me. I think he's gonna be a star sometime really soon. Those two are so committed to their craft they really haven't thought about kids, yet. But I heard Johnna mention once or twice that she hoped they could adopt a whole gaggle of kids after they each won a Tony. So hopefully we'll have some more nieces and nephews around before too long.

Like her twin, Stacie's also 31, but she lives in Tennessee. She got married last year; to a male nurse she met when she broke her leg. You know, I always pictured Stacie as the more creative of my twin siblings, and thought she'd be the one who made her living doing something off-the-beaten-track. I never assumed Stevie would be the one to go into the arts; figured he had a future in architecture or something. But I was wrong, and Stacie is actually an accountant. She says she loves it. Her job is concrete, and stable…something I'm starting to see Stacie has craved in her life ever since we were homeless. And she paints on the weekends. Goes hiking and canoeing with a camera and art supplies, then doesn't come home till something inspires a new painting. She broke her leg when she fell off her bike at a State park going downhill. Stacie never admitted it, but I think she was attempting to reach in her backpack for a pencil when she fell. Her husband's name is Simon, and he's just as sporty as she is, so now somebody has her back whenever she's doing something dangerous. I'm so grateful to Simon I even forgave him for knocking up my little sister. She's pregnant right now with twin girls. I'm trying to convince my little sis to put some of her artwork in a show or something, but she's happy making her paintings and giving them away. Those two seem really giddy all the time about life.

While I let my thoughts collide inside my head, my wife had come outside with both our mothers and sisters, holding coolers and picnic baskets. My dad ran over to help them from where he'd been snorkeling with Simon and eventually we all got settled around picnic tables to eat barbecue and laugh. Life with this family was pretty much perfect.

While my mom was sassing Marc for taking the last rib off the platter and not offering it to Stacie; whose pregnancy had her jonesing for meat all the time. Mercedes and I got the kids settled with Gram Jones so we could take a little walk together. I missed her.

We talked, and joked. She reached out to stroke my face, and I patted her ass a few times. Then we headed back. When everyone came into view, Mercy started chuckling and I grinned and waited for her to tell me what was so funny,

"Sammy, do you remember when our parents tried to 'help us' by forcing us apart?" She reached out to finger my 22-year-old tattoo.

I laughed my ass off. "I remember when they thought they were 'helping us' by _trying _to force us apart!"

I folded Mercedes into my arms and she kept going "But little did they know, huh?"

"That's right…And Artie's parents thought I was taking off every three weeks to go visit my parents in Kentucky. Homesick, or whatever."

"More like Cedes-sick; and holed up in the Red Rooster for the cure!" Mercedes cackled. I joined her and we went in to rest before the evening activities.

Mercedes Jones-Evans and I have pretty much led a charmed life these past two-and-a-half decades. We've laughed out loud together every single day we were blessed to wake up. And we've used the love of our families and the support of our friends to build a formidable wall against the hate and intolerance that lives on the other side of it. We officially became family in the eyes of the law 15 years ago today, and I've been thanking God ever since.

See, the summer of 2012 ended on a really sucky note. Our parents all got together in late August and demanded that we take a several months' long separation to "inject some much needed space" into our relationship. My baby, genius that she is, saw that shit coming from two miles away. So by the time the arm of parental law came down, we had a contingency plan all worked out.

Mercedes left for LA on September 4, and I returned to Kentucky for the last week of summer vacation. When I got back to Lima for my senior year, we use our contraband cell phones to talk every day while I was at school…I actually almost got caught and dimed out by Stacie on more than one occasion; since she was all the time rifling through my backpack back then. She and I had daily Skype dates, where I'd haunt the bathroom in Mickey D's or the public library and use the WiFi connection so I could see her beautiful smile over the internet. Mercedes wasn't in the position of having to sneak, so she told me about her day and asked me about mine from the condo she shared with Puck. And she flew back to Lima every three weeks secretly, using all the money we'd hoarded. Usually, Mercedes would fly in early on Saturday morning and leave mid-afternoon on Sunday; which was just enough time for us to get in three weeks worth of snuggles and face-to-face conversations. So we never lost touch or grew apart.

After this went on for a month and a half, Mercedes started getting super popular at her label. Her boss used her voice on just about everything he packaged. So our visits got more frequent. Artie's parents, whose home I was living in, were constantly gushing about all the time I spent doing whatever lie I'd come up with at the time. And it made my folks suspicious. They started to question all my sudden extracurricular, so I was forced to come up with some. Senior year, I ran for Student Body Vice President and won…then I took Mercedes' advice and started to fake-date Brittany S. Pierce to throw them off. By the time our Samcedes punishment lifted, both sets of parents were basically so horrified by the thought that I'd tried to move on with another Cheerio -and one who'd failed senior year, at that- that they had absolutely no problem with me and 'Cedes falling right back into lovey-dovey land full throttle. All of a sudden, our love wasn't destructive; instead it was completely healthy. 'Cedes and I laughed at that particular 180 for months.

Mercy always says that what happened next was serendipity; God's way of blessing me for the way I helped her get her record deal. But I'm pretty sure it was God looking in on what he had in store for us together. Because when I visited Cedes over Spring Break that year, she'd managed to finagle an audition for me with a friend of her boss'. The guy, Elliot Prescott, was a director who mostly made shitty animated films. Elliot was casting this movie he was making about a teenage alien trapped on Earth and forced to make friends with a computer repair specialist. I got the lead part, using a voice of my own creation that was equal pats Darth Vader and Marvin the Martian. The movie sucked, and the pay was really insulting, but the score was great. I sang all of my characters' songs on the soundtrack, and it had a huge cult following. Because the album sold so well, and won a few lesser known industry awards; the name 'Sam Evans" got a fair amount of recognition in some pretty lofty circles. It was the beginning of my career in music.

If we fast forward five years later… Mercedes was a college graduate, we had both cut albums, and she was well on her way to the first of many Grammies. My girl had just headlined her own European tour with the Sam Evans Experience as opening act, and we were high on sold out shows and enthusiastic fans. We got back to the States, and discussed things, trying to figure out what was coming next. I tried to convince Mercy to tour again…be Beyonce big in THIS country. And she tried to convince me to do another movie and get my Brad Pitt on. In the end, we figured out that we'd both had enough of performing for a living. All either of us had ever wanted out of our lives together was simplicity, a happy home, and a loving family. So we planned and had the biggest wedding Lima, OH had probably ever seen. We commissioned this seriously crazy wedding coordinator in Atlanta to put the whole thing together, and invited everybody who'd ever watched any Samcedes drama unfold. Our high school friends, people we met in college, professional contacts, industry names…we even invited Shane, Kurt and Rachel!

The wedding itself was huge; Artie officiated, because he'd always dreamt of performing a wedding ceremony and busting into song in the middle of it. Mercedes and I were both given away by our parents and we marched up the aisle while Artie sang "Always and Forever." Tina and Mike were best man and maid of honor; Rory, Sugar, Puck, Quinn, Finn, Satan, Joe, Britt, Blaine, and Unique were our attendees. And Lauren along with some of the kids who joined my senior year were our ushers and hostesses. They sang their way down the aisle, Mr. Shue organized a reception set list with close supervision by Mercedes and myself, and our friends and family all had a blast doing what we all love best; singing, dining, and laughing. Then we took off for Superhero Island, just like my 18-yr-old self wanted to.

Mercedes and I got settled in Atlanta again, where she made really good friends with T.I. He's about fifteen or so years older than we are, but he and his wife really have their hands on the pulse of popular trends where music is concerned. He was scouting open mike nights and looking for the next big R&B star to mentor when he met Mercedes. They clicked, and she sang some hooks for him on a few of his raps. Eventually, the two of them started collaborating on songs, stuff he ended up giving to his nieces and son. All of them were young and fresh acts that really resonated with audiences…so Mercedes' music was getting a lot of recognition. The work paid most of the bills, too.

During that time I'd committed to going back to school. Since I had never been one to really relish higher learning, I sort of felt like college wasn't something I could really sink my teeth into; like, ever. But Mercedes held my hand through all the academic testing, and helped me to get allowances made to offset my learning disorder. That, along with the fact that I chose a school where I would actually be a minority, and I wrote my application essay about my time as a homeless teen, all eventually resulted in my acceptance. I started classes at Clark Atlanta University at the age of 25, and had gotten degrees in Voice Studies and Commercial Composition before I turned 30. Mercedes helped me out a lot with the theory and history requirements, and I graduated with better grades than I'd ever made in my whole life. After that we started work as a songwriting team.

We did well, to say the least. Our songs appealed to a large cross-section of musical tastes, like Ne-Yo's. We wrote for pop artists, country-western groups, a lot of boy-bands; and we made enough money in the first six years of work for me to burn up my parents' mortgage agreement. Since Mickey was on the way when we made our first six figures, I bought my lovely wife the Hummer she'd been wanting so she could haul our offspring around. By the time Johnny came along we were both semi-retired.

These days, Mercedes pretty much spends her time doing the full-time mom thing. She's heavily invested in the soccer-mom lifestyle, and loves being the loudest parent there whenever it's time to cheer one of the kiddles on. Occasionally, she'll appear at a venue around town and sing a few songs for fun…if the artist requesting her presence is someone whose music she respects. It keeps her hands in the industry, and she still loves performing, of course. So my wife is happy.

And I'm trying to help some of our high school friends get a musical off the ground. See, Rachel Berry, as we all know, jetted off to New York after high school and attended a performing arts school. She did really well there; got lead roles in a bunch of performances and starred in concerts from freshman year all the way to commencement. If I'm not mistaken, she and Kurt had a friendly rivalry going on that actually helped them both do their best, too. But after graduation, Rachel no longer had Kurt around as a sounding board and biggest competition, so she pretty much lost her perspective. And possibly her grip on reality, too. Kurt signed on with several low-end productions, mainly cast as one voice among many in the ensemble; and learned about theater life from the ground up. He found out about all the different jobs being performed, and how shows get off the ground; eventually, Kurt started doing costume work, set design and stage lighting in addition to singing and acting. By the time he'd auditioned for and got his first job on the Great White Way, Kurt had learned how to make himself indispensable to any production, and it showed. He was currently playing Puck in a production of _Shakespeare's A Midsummer Nights Dream _set in the Louisiana bayou…he sent me a video and the whole thing's hilariously amazing. Kurt designed the backdrops and sewed the costumes; they might as well rename it _Kurt Hummel's A Midsummer Night's Dream _because he totally owns it. He was definitely living his dream and taking absolutely no prisoners.

Rachel, on the other hand, was not at all content with working her way up. Apparently, she expected to get cast in ingénue roles, and wasn't prepared to accept anything less. So the first time Rachel auditioned for a playhouse production of _Fiddler on the Roof _and she was cast in the chorus, she quit. Rachel let her dads support her, and marched herself from casting office to casting office every day for the next five years. Her tenacity paid off, somewhat, because eventually she _did _land the roles she wanted. But now we're older, and Rachel refuses to hear any criticism about her possibly not being age-appropriate for star roles any longer. She's not interested in playing nurses or the main characters' mother, so now she's commissioned our friends to help her star in a play of her own design.

The play is actually really a great concept; it's based on our high school experiences with New Directions, and the production is pretty much an all-friends deal. Rachel, of course will be portraying a younger version of herself, and the focus is pretty much on the exploits of her character and the guy who reminds me of Finn. Puck and I are composing the songs, Tina is on the book, Mike's the main choreographer, and Artie's directing. In the beginning Rachel's dads were footing bills and paying everyone a nominal salary, but now she has producers who do the fund-raising. We all help Rachel; not because we really want to be her background people again, but because we believe in the project. And because it helps us all stay close.

Like Puck and me…he lives in Florida with Lauren Zizes. Those two made up, not long after I moved to LA with Cedes; then they relocated to a place where she could train year long for the fighting league she belongs to and he could run his pool business. He's doing really well; runs the company out of a huge office space downtown and has about thirty employees. Most of them are young-ish boys a lot like he was twenty years ago…hardheaded, somewhat standoffish, etcetera. It's pretty cool of him to try and give them a shot at making some money, actually. He and Zizes don't have any plans to marry anytime soon, but the love is still there. It's the biggest, loudest love I've ever witnessed, if you want the truth… those two are pretty unconventional, and I think we'll see a baby or two from them before a wedding; but I don't judge. He and I get together two or three times a month -on Rachel- to hang out and work through the show.

And Artie…he lives in New York; been directing TV commercials and indie movies since he graduated from film school. He's not the only one; Brittany and Santana live there too. Satan is a seriously successful litigator and Britt owns a ballet school. Those three still hang out a lot, to the point where we ND-ers question whether their threesome relationship is still alive and kicking. The girls live together and want to get married, but not until they can do it in Lima. But whenever Artie gets an epiphany, or Puck and I want to show him a new song we come up with, then he gets the whole crew together. Britt sometimes works through kinks in the numbers with Satan, and they all talk over the logistics of the scenes. They also get a lot of input from Kurt and Blaine, since those two are around a lot. And they always keep the rest of us in the loop. It all reminds me of when we used to rehearse for competitions and stuff in high school.

Even Finn gets in on this thing…although he and Rachel never actually got back together after high school. See, we all knew that Finn wasn't gonna last long in the Army, but he did figure out pretty quickly how much he missed high school. So after spending a year advising Glee club, Hudson went to college and got a degree in History. He teaches at McKinley, runs Glee, and coaches the 9th grade Titans football team. I asked him once why he never applied for the Varsity team job and Finn told me he was more interested in keeping the baby footballers from becoming bullying ass-wipes than mentoring state champs. He sounds happy, and honestly it's not like he really needs the money, anyway. Because Finn's married to Sugar! They got together around the time Mercedes and I got married, and now have two kids. They laugh a lot, and Finn thinks it's adorable when Sugar acts better than everybody…since she's as sweet as her name is when nobody's looking. Plus, I'm pretty sure Mr. Motta still gives Sugar an allowance…Sugar doesn't work and spends more money than Mercedes could in a lifetime. It works out though, because Finn either doesn't care or he hasn't figured it out yet. Those two get along great and are doing most of the money stuff for the play.

Mike's heavily invested in looking for dancers to play parts in the production…he wants them all to be classically trained and highly accomplished. I guess from experience, Mike can recall how genuine love for music doesn't always necessarily translate to having a great singing voice. So he wants this show, just like New Directions, to be a place for people who sing with their bodies as well as their voices. And Tina sends us pages every week or so with dialogue. She wants the character that's most like her to be sort of a narrator, because she remembers being an observer for a lot of her time in ND. We all agreed, so it's always seriously funny when we get new pages full of stuff not unlike what we experienced as teenagers, but seen through the eyes of a curious observer. She and Mike are married with one 9-yr-old daughter, who wants to be a figure skater when she grows up. Mike convinced his little girl that she needed to be a ballerina (not that any little girl really needs convincing to put on a tutu and twirl around) in order to make it, so he's training her and bonding with his baby all at the same time. The Chang family's happiness surprises absolutely no one.

The only members of our high school clique that don't take an active role in _Glee…The Musical_ are Unique, Joe and Quinn. Unique followed in Mercedes' footsteps and went to LA right after graduation, wanting to become a singing sensation. She and Marley moved in together and did all the rounds; open mike nights, singing on the street, televised talent contests …the works. Unique found her niche with this drag queen revue doing circuits around the city. She collects a salary for running the show; and spends her time nurturing newbies into the life and calling herself the Godmother. Marley managed to get a deal doing background work like Cedes did all those years ago, and is still looking for her big break. We're praying for her. Joe and Quinn are still best friends. He does missionary work; traveling the world and being a witness to the glory of God. Quinn sometimes joins him and they go from city to city together. She's a photographer and takes pictures of exotic locations for travel brochures. Like I said, those two are great friends, although I don't think they will ever re-visit the romantic side of their relationship. From what I hear, Quinn spent a lot of time in her young adulthood being a little bit confused about her sexuality… following a brief stint in college where she screwed Santana silly every weekend. I don't know if she identifies as a lesbian now, or what; but I do know she wants nothing to do with men. Even really great ones like Joe. So they keep their thing friendly and we don't ask Quinn who she sleeps with.

I think about all of this as I wrap my arms around my wife and soulmate. We've had a great life together, obviously. We pretty much spend all our time doing things that we enjoy, and have managed to spin a web of love big enough to capture the hearts of everyone important in our lives. Later on, my wife and I will get our family in several rental cars, and drive over to this seriously huge rambling house right on the beach. We're going to walk everyone around the place, show the kids the pool and swing set as well as the four wheelers and kiddie motorcycles we bought. We'll let the old folks marvel over the patio furniture and the super-fancy barbecue grill, then take them to see the wine cellar and putting green we put in. We'll let our siblings flip out over the games room filled with tables and videos, and the basketball court outside. Missy, Maya, and Stacie are gonna flip over the breakfast nook full of books and magazines, not to mention the "Lady Room" Mercy envisioned full of spa chairs and pedicure tubs . We'll give the kids a key to the soundproof practice room full of instruments and recording equipment, as well as the dance studio complete with barre, and wall-to-wall mirrors. Then we plan to let everybody know that this was now the official Evans/Jones Vacation Manor; that we'd bought it so the family would never have to spend time in a beach hotel again. We'd had so many great summers together, Mercedes and I…for awhile there I was pretty convinced that summers were all we'd ever have. But I'd spent winter nights wrapped around my baby in front of fireplaces since then; kicked leaves and took our kids Trick-or-Treating in the fall. This summer home was just our way of thanking God for the season we've always done best.

But before we did any of that, I had to steal a little alone time with my wifey, and remind her exactly why we both loved summer so much.

**The End.**

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**A/N: I just want to thank everyone who took this journey with me and stuck around through all of my run-on sentences and the imaginings of my diseased mind. This was my first attempt at fanfiction ever, and I totally appreciate the fact that I managed to strum up a following. _SaSO_ was fun to write and your guys' reviews and PMs made my day whenever I saw them. I only hope some of you were as happy with it as I was! Thanks...**


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